Top-ranked NWF State beats Tally

By NWF DAILY NEWS

TALLAHASSEE – Four wins down, eight to go.

Ranked No. 1 in the country and undefeated, the NWF State women's basketball team (18-0, 4-0) pulled down a 70-63 road win at 10th-rankeed Tallahassee Wednesday night.

The Raiders trailed 16-12 after the first quarter and 34-31 at halftime before taking a 53-51 lead on the reigning national champions headed into the fourth quarter.

Jaiden McCoy delivered 18 points, Georgia Gayle added 14 points and Cece Mayo chipped in 10 points for the Raiders, who are shooting a blazing 50 percent from the floor and forcing nearly 30 turnovers a night in conference play.

Mayo, the "sixth man," leads the Raiders with 13.8 points per game on a 70-percent shooting clip in conference play. Shania Meertens follows with 12.5 points and 6.3 rebounds, while McCoy (12.3 points and seven rebounds) and Awa Trasi (9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds) lock up the post.

The person who makes the transition-minded offense go is Leandra Echi, who averages seven assists, 7.8 rebounds, 6.5 points, four steals and 1.5 blocks per game in league action. Meanwhile Gayle remains NWF State's premier 3-point threat with 10 points a night to accent seven rebounds and 3.5 assists a night.

It's that depth that helped them beat 21st-ranked Pensacola State 63-58 at home, seventh-ranked Gulf Coast State 75-67 on the road and 10th-ranked Chipola 63-56 at The Arena.

Now the Raiders have a 1 1/2-game cushion over Gulf Coast State (14-2, 2-1) and Chipola (17-2, 2-1) and a 3 1/2-game lead on Tallahassee (18-3, 0-3) and Pensacola State (14-5, 0-3).

They hit the road for Pensacola State on Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m tip.