GAMEDAY PREVIEW: Battle for first place tonight at The Milt

#13 Chipola & #21 Pensacola, only Panhandle teams with one conference loss, meet at 7:30 PM

Trent Lincoln scores two of his 13 points against a Northwest Florida defender on January 25, 2025, at the Milton H. Johnson Center. | photo courtesy of Ehren Cobart
Trent Lincoln scores two of his 13 points against a Northwest Florida defender on January 25, 2025, at the Milton H. Johnson Center. | photo courtesy of Ehren Cobart
February 1, 2025

MARIANNA, Fla. – With just one-half game separating the Indians (18-4; 3-1) and the Pirates, the winner of Saturday night's battle at the Milton H. Johnson Center will leave with sole possession of first place. Both teams are even in the loss column with the Pirates having won one more conference game. Chipola was not unable to play its January 22, 2025 game against Tallahassee State due to snow and ice.

Earlier this week, Chipola took care of business on the road in Panama City on Wednesday night, coming away with a 70-62 win over Gulf Coast. 

GAME INFORMATION

Time: 7:30 PM CST

Location: Milton H. Johnson Health Center – Marianna, Florida

Streaming:  #13 Chipola vs. #21 Pensacola State

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

The Pirates (16-7; 4-1) lost their first conference game of the season on Sunday at Gulf Coast but rebounded with a 78-71 win over Tallahassee at home on Wednesday night.

The first-place Pirates led by veteran head coach Pete Pena, are shooting 47.1% from the floor, 34.2% from outside the arc, and scoring 72.1 points per game.

In their last meeting with the Indians, the Pirates did not allow Chipola to get anything going offensively. Even when the Indians were given free chances they could not convert, shooting just 4 of 16 from the free throw line in the 62-50 loss.

GAME NOTES

  • When the Indians have scored 61 points or more this season, they are 16-0. Chipola defeated Central Georgia Tech, 60-52, and Gulf Coast, 60-57, for their other two wins.
  • The Indians have won ten consecutive games at home and 11-1 overall this season at The Milt. The Pirates have not been Chipola at The Milt since winning 71-61 on February 3, 2018.
  • Chipola finds itself down 0-1 in the season series with the Pirates. The Indians have not lost a season series to Pensacola since the 2019-2020 season when the Pirates took two of three from Chipola.