Southern Idaho pulls away in second half to down Gulf Coast, 82-70, advance to NJCAA Final

Gulf Coast State College's Cinderella run in the NJCAA championship ended in victory for the College of Southern Idaho, 82-70.

The College of Southern Idaho Golden Eagles faced the Gulf Coast State College (Fla.) Commodores in the semifinal round of the 2026 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Men's Basketball Championship at the Hutchinson (Kan.) Sports Arena on Wednesday, March 27, 2026.

The College of Southern Idaho entered the 2026 championship as the No. 2 seed with a 31-2 record. The Golden Eagles qualified for the tournament by winning the NJCAA West District Tournament. Southern Idaho is a member of the Scenic West Athletic Conference.

Gulf Coast State College earned an at-large selection for the 2026 championship with a 25-7 record, securing the No. 14 seed. The Commodores are part of the Florida College System Activities Association.

The College of Southern Idaho won its opening-round game against New Mexico Junior College by a score of 73-66. In the quarterfinals, the Golden Eagles defeated Walters State Community College 85-64. Leading Southern Idaho are sophomore Jalen Lyn and redshirt freshman Cooper Kesler.

Gulf Coast State College played its fourth game in the tournament. The Commodores defeated Brunswick Community College 82-79, defeated Indian Hills Community College 72-70 and defeated Northwest Florida State College 99-91. Gulf Coast's squad is led by sophomore Trent Lincoln, a Texas Christian University commit recognized as one of the top Division I recruits in the country.

The first half was closely contested, with both teams trading leads. There were four ties and five lead changes during the period. Gulf Coast led by as much as nine points, while Southern Idaho's largest lead was six. The statistics were mostly balanced, but the standout difference was that the Golden Eagles went a perfect 7 for 7 at the free-throw line during the first half. At halftime, Southern Idaho held a narrow lead, 38-36.

The second half presented a different scenario altogether. The Southern Idaho Golden Eagles were more aggressive on offense, overwhelming the Gulf Coast defense. They manufactured a 22-8 scoring run in the first eight minutes, pushing the score to 60-44. By the midpoint of the half, Southern Idaho had built a 21-point lead.

The second-half statistics highlighted the Golden Eagles' dominance: their field goal percentage was 50% compared to Gulf Coast's 37.5%; their 3-point shooting percentage stood at 50% versus 33.3%; and their free-throw percentage was 63.6% compared to 41.7% for Gulf Coast. In the final minutes, the closest Gulf Coast came to Southern Idaho was eight points. Ultimately, the Golden Eagles secured a convincing 82-70 victory.

Sophomore Devonte Cobbs led Gulf Coast with 22 points, including 15 from 3-point range. Sophomore Trent Lincoln contributed 11 points and freshman Jabari Quarterman netted 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Southern Idaho had four players score in double figures, with sophomore Jalen Lyn netting 24 and freshman Ace Reiser adding 23. Both Lyn and Reiser were impressive from beyond the arc, making four and five 3-pointers, respectively.

The College of Southern Idaho advances to the 2026 NJCAA championship final, where the Golden Eagles will face No. 1 seed Howard College on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Southern Idaho's record now stands at 34-2. Gulf Coast State College finishes its season with a record of 28-8.