GAME PREVIEW: #17 Indians & #8 Raiders meet in rematch of last year's State Championship Game

MARIANNA, Fla. – The Indians and the Raiders have both started the Panhandle Conference portion of their season with a loss to #18 Pensacola State and find themselves needing a win to stay above .500 in the conference race when the rivals meet on Saturday night.

#17 Chipola (16-4; 1-1) and #8 Northwest Florida (15-4; 1-1) both had games postponed this week due to the weather. With Wednesday night's games being moved to Monday, March 3, Saturday night's game at the Milton H. Johnson Center will settle who sits behind the Pirates in the standings in second place.

GAME INFORMATION

Time: 7:30 PM CST

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

Admission: $10 Adults; $5 for K-12 & College students (Chipola College students admitted free with ID)

• Tonight is Jackson Hospital Night at The Milt. Hospital Employees with their badge can get free admission for themselves and one guest at the front door of the Milton H. Johnson Center.

Streaming: #17 Chipola vs. #8 Northwest Florida

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

Last Saturday in Pensacola, the Raiders mounted a comeback against the Pirates but their 33-17 deficit at the half proved to be too much as the Pirates went on to a 63-56 win. NWF started off conference play with a 73-65 win inside Raider Arena over Tallahassee on January 11.

Davion Hill, a freshman guard who has come off the bench in all 17 games played this season, leads the raiders in scoring with 12.8 ppg. Another freshman guard, Dwayne Pierce, who has only started one game for the Raiders is second on the team in scoring at 11.2 ppg.

GAME NOTES

• Chipola was 3-1 last season against Northwest Florida with the Raiders' win coming in the only game at The Milt. Chipola defeated NWF three times at Raider Arena including the 2024 FCSAA/Region VIII Championship game. The average margin of victory in the four games was 5.0 points.
• Head Coach Donnie Tyndall is 12-4 against the Raiders in four seasons. The last time the two teams played at The Milt, the Raiders won 67-56. Prior to that loss, Chipola was 5-0 against the Raiders at home under Coach Tyndall.
• Chipola has won their last nine games at The Milt. Their last home loss was the second game of the season to Southwest Mississippi CC on November 2. The Indians are 72-4 at home under Coach Tyndall.