NICEVILLE, Fla. — For the second consecutive night, Northwest Florida men’s basketball put on a dominant display, defeating Baton Rouge 91-67 to remain unbeaten to start the season.
After dropping 32 points in his Raider debut, DJ Shine once again led the charge, posting 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting while adding five assists and two steals. Veterans Braylon Roman and Justin Burns followed closely behind, each contributing 12 points. Burns continued his strong start on the boards, pulling down eight rebounds, while Roman showcased his passing ability with seven assists.
The Raiders’ offense was in top form again, shooting 60.0% (34-57) from the field, including 30.0% (3-10) from beyond the arc and 66.7% (20-30) from the free-throw line. Northwest Florida’s attack was relentless in the paint, where they scored 56 points, and in transition, adding another 26 fast-break points.
Depth played a key role in the victory, as the Raider bench delivered 36 points, accounting for more than a third of the team’s total output.
With another convincing performance, the Raiders improve to 2-0 on the season and continue to build early momentum heading into their next matchup.
First Half
The Raiders wasted no time setting the tone, scoring the first three baskets of the game and capitalizing on two early Bear turnovers. After Baton Rouge got on the board, Northwest Florida responded with six more quick points to take a 10-point lead.
A 12-0 run, started by Braylon Roman and capped by Justin Burns, stretched the advantage to 24-7, and the Raiders never looked back. Moments later, a 14-5 surge—highlighted by a Roman steal and dunk—pushed the lead to 40-16 with five minutes remaining in the half. Both teams traded baskets down the stretch, but the Raiders’ early dominance gave them a commanding 49-25 lead at halftime.
Second Half
Coming out of the locker room, Northwest Florida stayed aggressive, scoring on its first four possessions. A Burns steal and dunk followed by a De’Eric Barber fast-break layup extended the lead to 59-36. Jemison Marquez added back-to-back threes, and DJ Shine joined in with his lone three-pointer of the night.
On the next possession, Shine poked the ball loose, then found Burns on the fast break with a behind-the-back bounce pass for a highlight-reel dunk that brought the crowd to its feet. The Raiders’ offense continued to roll while the Bears struggled to find answers.
Despite a foul-heavy final stretch, Northwest Florida stayed in control and closed out the win to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Up Next
The Raiders return to Raider Arena next weekend for another back-to-back slate, taking on Lawson State on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by Monroe (NY) on Saturday at 7 p.m.
