PANAMA CITY, Fla. — No. 10 Chipola College used a strong first half and balanced scoring to secure a 78–68 road victory over No. 5 Gulf Coast State College on Wednesday night, snapping the Commodores' home momentum in a key Panhandle Conference matchup.

Chipola built a commanding 37–17 halftime lead behind efficient shooting and aggressive rebounding, then weathered a second-half surge by Gulf Coast State to improve its conference standing. Gulf Coast State outscored Chipola 51–41 in the second half, but the Indians' early cushion proved too much to overcome. 

Peyton Wiggins led Chipola with a game-high 25 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc while adding six rebounds. Desmond Kent Jr. provided a strong spark off the bench with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Demarco Middleton added nine points and seven assists to help control the tempo. Chipola finished with 53 total rebounds and 17 assists, showcasing its depth and ball movement.

Chipola shot 39.7 percent from the field and an efficient 46.7 percent from three-point range, making seven of its 15 attempts from deep. The Indians also dominated the glass, outrebounding Gulf Coast State 53–35 and 23 offensive rebounds.

The win gives Chipola a signature road victory over a top-five opponent and could have significant implications for conference and national rankings as the regular season enters its final stretch.

Chipola will host #9 Tallahassee State at home on Wednesday, February 25th at 7:30 PM CT.