#20 Indians outlast Commodores, 60-57

MARIANNA, Fla. – The #20 Chipola Indians had to overcome its second-lowest field goal percentage of the season to capture a 60-57 win over Gulf Coast State College (14-5; 0-1).

Freshman Trent Lincoln scored a season-high 19 points to lead the Indians to even up their Panhandle Conference record to 1-1 and move to 16-4 overall.

Strong start leads to victory

In every loss in the last five seasons under head coach Donnie Tyndall, the Indians have failed to make more than six three-point baskets. On Wednesday night, the Indians got off to a 13-4 lead in the first six minutes with nine of those points coming from shots behind the arc.

After the quick start for the Indians, Gulf Coast fought back and scored the next eight points to cut the lead to one. The Commodores would go on to take a 21-20 lead with four minutes remaining in the first half but their lead would only last for one trip down the court. Markel Freeman hit another Chipola three-point bucket to give the Indians back the lead at 23-21. Chipola would not trail the rest of the game.

Chipola went to the locker room with a 29-25 lead despite shooting just 32.4% from the floor to Gulf Coast's 45.8%. Chipola did manage to shoot 4-of-14 from deep to the Commodores' 1-of-11 performance. The Indians continued their struggles from the free throw line that cost them in their first conference game, making just three of nine attempts.

Seventh three-pointer and free throws

The Indians took control of the second half in the same way they did they start of the game. Chipola built a 14-point lead courtesy of three consecutive triples from Lincoln. After the freshman guard hit the third shot from deep, which was also Chipola's seventh three-pointer, Miles Ndalama gave Chipola the 52-38 with under eight minutes remaining.

Ndalama's putback was the Indians' final field goal of the game but that final three-point basket from Lincoln would prove to the point difference in the final.

The Commodores closed to within three after an 11-0 run over the next two and a half minutes. A pair of free throws from Grace Aluma halted the run and put Chipola up 54-49 with just under five minutes left on the clock.

Gulf Coast closed to within one with 3:34 left on the clock as Chipola could not get a shot to fall in the waning minutes of the game. After Gulf Coast had once again closed to within a point, Aluma went to the line and sunk two to put the Indians up by three with 19 seconds remaining.

The game would end up being decided at the line which turned out to be a strength for the Indians. The Indians closed out the game hitting 8-of-9 shots from the charity stripe to hold on for the victory when a three-point shot by Gulf Coast's leading scorer, Christian Harmon, hit off the rim and went out of bounds as the horn sounded.

Notes

• Justin Burns had 12 and Grace Aluma had 11 to join Lincoln in double digits.
• Despite shooting just 13-of-23 (56.5%) from the free throw line, Chipola was 10-of-14 in the second half which helped them to seal the victory.
• Chipola was held without a field goal in the final seven minutes and thirty-four seconds.
• With the win, Chipola has now won the last nine in the series with Gulf Coast. The Indians have not lost to the Commodores at home under Coach Tyndall.
• Chipola is 10-1 this season at The Milt and have won nine consecutive at home.