Raiders Wrap Up Regular Season with Win

NICEVILLE, Fla. – The second-ranked Northwest Florida State women's basketball had already claimed the outright Panhandle Conference crown, but the team still played like it had something to prove in a 71-47 win over No. 6 Chipola on Saturday in Raider Arena.

The Raiders had something to prove indeed as the team's lone loss this season came to the same Chipola squad in a 59-58 battle one month ago.

NWF wraps up its regular season 19-1 overall and 15-1 in league play. The team will almost certainly receive the top seed in the FCSAA/Region VIII State Tournament set to begin April 7 in Raider Arena.

In Saturday's win, Last-Tear Poa led the way with 15 points, including four 3-pointers. Nashani Gilbert hit a trio of triples to finish with 11 points. Masengo Mutanda added 14 points and four assists.

Northwest Florida led by as many as 28 in the game and held its opponent to just 30.4 percent (17-56) shooting and a 2-for-13 mark from three-point range. The Raiders torched Chipola from beyond the arc shooting 10-of-14 for the game.

NWF will wait until the FCSAA seeds all eight qualifying teams before it learns of its next opponent.

For more information on Northwest Florida State athletics, visit NWFRaiders.com or follow the team on Twitter at @NWFRaiders.