Eagles, Commodores set for showdown in Panama City

Eagles, Commodores set for showdown in Panama City

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (January 6, 2016) – Sure it's early – just the second game of a 12-game league schedule – but the Panhandle Conference men's and women's basketball standings validate the following statement: both games of Wednesday's doubleheader between Tallahassee Community College and Gulf Coast State College are for first place in the league standings.

Both teams swept its PC openers on Saturday – the Eagles picked up a pair of wins over Pensacola State while Gulf Coast State did the same at Chipola.

On Wednesday, the Tallahassee and Gulf Coast State women tip things off at 6:30 p.m. eastern followed by the men's game at approximately 8:30 p.m. Both games can be seen on GCTV. Locally, the games will air on WTAL 1450 AM and wtal1450.com.  

After winning the teams' first meeting in 2015, Tallahassee dropped three straight to Gulf Coast State, the last two in agonizing fashion.

In its final home game of 2015, Tallahassee had a chance to clinch a postseason berth with a win over the Commodores. But after losing starters Karley Barnes and Wendion Bibbins to season-ending injuries earlier in the game, the team's leading scorer, Cat Wells, suffered a fractured foot with seven-plus minutes left and the Eagles couldn't protect a five-point lead, eventually falling 86-77.

That loss eventually forced a one-game playoff with Gulf Coast State, and the Commodores won, 73-67, to eliminate the Eagles from postseason contention for the fifth straight season.

Postseason reservations won't be finalized, win or lose, on Wednesday, but for the NJCAA No. 21/FCSAA No. 7 Eagles, playing the NJCAA No. 3/FCSAA No. 1 Commodores will serve as a measuring stick.

Gulf Coast State earned a statement victory on Saturday, knocking off defending national champion Chipola College, 87-80. Meanwhile, Tallahassee picked up a 67-65 victory over Pensacola State College, courtesy of Lawriell Wilson's last-second jumper.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Tallahassee, whose six losses have come by an average of 7.8 points. Gulf Coast State, on the flipside, is a perfect 15-0, winning by an average of 32.5 points per game and has played only three games decided by single-digits.

Wednesday's men's game figures to be just as intriguing.

After dropping five straight road games between November 27 and December 13, Tallahassee has won five in row – all at home, capped by Saturday's 71-65 win over Pensacola State, the Eagles' first 1-0 start in PC play since 2011. Tallahassee hasn't opened 2-0 in PC play since 2010.

To get there, the Eagles will need to reverse a 4-14 road record over the past three seasons in PC play against a Commodore squad who went on the road and defeated Chipola, 91-77, on Saturday for their ninth win in 10 games.

The Eagles defeated Gulf Coast State, 74-70, when the teams last met in February.

Tallahassee vs. Gulf Coast State Women's Capsule

  • Tipoff: 6:30 p.m.
  • Broadcast Info: https://gulfcoaststatecollege.viebit.com/ (video); http://wtal1450.com (radio)
  • Records: Tallahassee (12-6, 1-0 PC), Gulf Coast State (15-0, 1-0)
  • Rankings: Tallahassee (FCSAA No. 7, NJCAA No. 21), Gulf Coast State (FCSAA No. 1, NJCAA No. 3)
  • Head-to-Head: Gulf Coast State leads the all-time series, 53-8
  • In Panama City: Gulf Coast State leads, 23-5
  • Current streak: Gulf Coast State has won three in a row

Tallahassee vs. Gulf Coast State Men's Capsule

  • Tipoff: 8:30 p.m.
  • Broadcast Info: https://gulfcoaststatecollege.viebit.com/ (video); http://wtal1450.com (radio)
  • Records: Tallahassee (12-7, 1-0 PC), Gulf Coast State (14-5, 1-0)
  • Rankings: Tallahassee (FCSAA No. 9), Gulf Coast State (FCSAA No. 6)
  • Head-to-Head: Tallahassee leads the all-time series, 52-21
  • In Panama City: Tallahassee leads 23-13
  • Current streak: Tallahassee has won one in a row