Déjà vu: Raiders storm back to defeat Tallahassee at home

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 19, 2013) – For the second time this season, FCSAA No. 1 Northwest Florida State College (25-2, 11-1 PC) overcame a 19-point deficit to defeat Tallahassee Community College (13-14, 1-10). 

On January 15, the Eagles enjoyed a 39-20 lead late in the first half before Northwest Florida State rallied for the 76-68 win. 

On Tuesday, Tallahassee headed to the intermission with a commanding 33-14 advantage but again the Raiders rallied and pulled out a 56-55 decision at the Bill Hebrock Eagledome. 

Trailing 56-54, with 1.4 seconds remaining, Tallahassee's C.J. Washington missed the first of two free throws, forcing head coach Eddie Barnes to draw up an intentional miss on the second attempt. 

Whatever Barnes said during the timeout worked, as Washington misfired, gathered the offensive board and was fouled in the act of shooting by the Raiders' Tevin Glass with 0.4 showing on the clock. This time, Washington hit the front end to pull the Eagles within a point, but the game-tying free throw was off the mark, allowing the clock to expire. 

Free throws proved problematic for both teams – Northwest Florida State hit only 8-of-15 but was 8-of-11 in the second half. Tallahassee, meanwhile, was under 50 percent, hitting only 10-of-22, including four consecutive misses in the final minute of the first half that could have given the Eagles as much as a 23-point lead. 

Nevertheless, Tallahassee led 33-14 after hitting 14-of-24 (58.3 percent) shots in the first half and limiting the Raiders to just 26.9 percent (7-of-26) shooting. 

In the second half, Northwest Florida State flipped the script almost entirely, outscoring the Eagles, 42-22. 

A 14-1 run erased Tallahassee's 49-39 lead – the final eight points coming after the Raiders grabbed their own rebound off a missed free throw. Arthur Edwards hit a three-pointer, Glass converted a Tallahassee turnover into two points and Chris Jones, limited to just two points in the first half, drained a go-ahead three-pointer with 55 seconds remaining to give the Raiders their first lead of the game, 53-50. 

Jones scored 15 points in the second half and finished with 17. 

Trevor McDade led Tallahassee with 16 points. Bernard Kline added 12. Washington finished with eight points and 15 rebounds. 

Tallahassee will close out the 2012-13 season on Saturday when it travels to Pensacola State College for an 8:30 p.m. eastern tip against the Pirates. The game will be carried by Panhandle Sports Broadcasting at www.PSBlive.com.