Advancing: NWF Cruises Past EFSC, Sending Them to Another Region VIII Championship.

NICEVILLE, Fla. — Northwest Florida State women's basketball has secured a spot in the FCSAA DI/NJCAA South Atlantic District (Region VIII) Women's Basketball Championship Game for the third consecutive year. 

The Raiders accomplished this following a 65-38 victory over the number three-seeded Eastern Florida Titans - redemption for last season when the Titans beat the Raiders in the Region VIII Championship Game. The Raiders were clicking quickly and early, jumping out to a 21-9 lead in the opening quarter before eventually making it an 18-point lead before the half.

The Titans found a groove before the end of the first half, but NWF still led by double digits and was not going to let up easily. In the second half, the Raiders stretched their ten-point halftime lead to 27 thanks to stellar defensive play and smart shot-taking. The Raiders held the Titans to 24.6% from the field and 13.0% from three, by far their lowest totals of the season.

On the other hand, the Raiders produced an efficient 49.2% clip for the game while seeing three different players reach double-figures. Mekhia Chase led the game with 17 points, adding four points, three rebounds, and a pair of steals. Celia Riviere scored 13 points, adding five rebounds and five assists. Deborah Davenport had one of the best performances of her career, picking up her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 15 rebounds for the contest while shooting a near-perfect 7-8 from the field. 

NWF will face the number-one seeded Gulf Coast Commodores tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 PM. This will be the fourth time these two sides have met, as the Commodores lead the season series 2-1. However, the Raiders did defeat Gulf Coast the last time they faced in Panama City, where the Raiders shot the lights out of the ball, earning a ten-point victory and a share of the Panhandle Conference Championship.