Pirates Edged by Chipola, 68-66

No. 18 Pensacola State came up just short Wednesday night, falling 68–66 to No. 13 Chipola in a tightly contested matchup.

Chipola controlled the tempo for much of the evening, particularly in the first half, where the Indians caused defensive problems and shot an efficient 9‑of‑12 from beyond the arc. Chipola carried a 33–28 lead into halftime and continued to impose its physical play on both ends of the floor in the second half.

The Pirates stayed within striking distance throughout but struggled on the glass, surrendering 11 offensive rebounds and getting out‑rebounded 33–15 overall.

Down the stretch, Pensacola State had an opportunity to steal the win. Sean Owens knocked down a key three‑pointer to cut the deficit to two and finished with 13 points and four assists. Ethan McDonald added 11 points on an efficient 4‑of‑7 shooting performance, while Malick Sene contributed 12 points on 6‑of‑9 shooting. Alex Madrid led the game with seven assists, helping keep the Pirates' offense organized.

Deven Bates led all scorers with 21 points.

Chipola split a pair of free throws late to extend the lead to three, and Pensacola State's final attempt to force overtime fell short.

The Pirates will look to bounce back on the road Saturday, January 31, against Tallahassee State.