Raiders’ Season Ends in Elite Eight Heartbreaker

HUTCHINSON, Kans. — Northwest Florida men's basketball saw its season come to a close in the Elite Eight, falling 99–91 in overtime to Gulf Coast in a hard-fought battle.

The Raiders showed resilience throughout, erasing a 12-point second-half deficit and tying the game in the final minute of regulation. However, timely baskets and a pair of technical free throws late helped the Commodores pull away and secure the win.

Northwest Florida weathered an early deficit before settling in behind Braylon Roman and Justin Burns. Burns provided an early spark with a dunk to tie the game at 6–6, while Damarion Vann-Kelly knocked down a three-pointer to even things at 11–11. DJ Shine added momentum with a layup and free throws, giving the Raiders a brief 16–13 advantage.

Gulf Coast responded with a strong run behind Trent Lincoln and Alpha Berry, building a lead that stretched to eight. The Raiders answered late in the half, closing on a 9–2 run fueled by Burns and Roman to trim the deficit to 39–38 at halftime.

The Commodores opened the second half with a 7–0 burst, highlighted by a three from Jabari Quarterman and a dunk from Iyran Francis, pushing the lead to 46–38. Turnovers plagued Northwest Florida during the stretch, allowing Gulf Coast to extend its advantage to 62–48 following another Lincoln three.

Refusing to fold, the Raiders mounted a comeback behind Vann-Kelly, who caught fire from deep with back-to-back three-pointers. Late in regulation, Northwest Florida made its final push. A four-point play by DJ Shine cut the deficit to one, and with eight seconds remaining, he knocked down two free throws to tie the game at 85–85 and force overtime.

In the extra period, Gulf Coast seized control early with a three-pointer from Lincoln and maintained the lead the rest of the way. Key turnovers and clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch allowed the Commodores to close out the 99–91 victory.

Northwest Florida finishes the season 27–8 overall, highlighted by its 17th Panhandle Conference Championship, 15th NJCAA Tournament appearance, and 10th Elite Eight berth. With nine sophomores expected to move on, the Raiders will look to regroup and reload heading into the 2026–27 season.