49 Point Second Half Propels NWF Past CGT in Season Opener

NICEVILLE, FL – Northwest Florida State women's basketball kicked off their season at Raider Arena tonight with a home game against Central Georgia Tech.

The matchup was marked by a chaotic first half, where both teams combined for 50 turnovers, including 20 from the Raiders, and struggled offensively with a combined shooting performance of 10-63 from the field at just 15.8%.

However, the Raiders improved significantly in the second half, reducing their turnovers by half and shooting an efficient 54.5%.

Mekhia Chase led the Raiders with 13 points, while Deborah Davenport and Aja Pollard each added 12 points, and Allyson Ferguson contributed 10. Davenport and Jade Ondineme both made their presence felt on the boards, each pulling down nine rebounds.

For Central Georgia Tech, Tanyia Williams dominated on the glass with a game-high 17 rebounds and added 10 points. Atiana Gilcrist was the game's top scorer with 15 points, followed by Nia Morgan with 14. The Titans ended the game with 44 total turnovers and a 31.3% shooting rate from the field.

First Quarter

- Northwest Florida didn't score their first field goal until the 6:28 mark, courtesy of a Jade Ondineme layup.

- Mekhia Chase hit a three-pointer with 1:47 left in the period, extending the Raiders' lead to 10-2.

- The Raiders' defense limited the Titans to just two points on one made basket and forced 17 turnovers in the quarter.

Second Quarter

- Kamryn Corporan opened the second quarter for the Raiders with a mid-range jumper, pushing their lead to 12 (14-2).

- After a layup by Deborah Davenport at the 8:08 mark, the Raiders didn't score another field goal until 3:28 remained in the quarter.

- Nia Morgan brought the Titans within single digits with two successful free throws with 3:16 remaining.

- The Raiders closed the half on an 8-4 run, taking a 26-14 lead into halftime.

Third Quarter

- Allyson Ferguson responded to consecutive baskets by the Titans with a layup, raising the Raiders' score to 30 points.

- A layup by Ka'Zahria Johnson and a three-pointer from Chase gave the Raiders their biggest lead of the game at 15 points.

- Both teams traded baskets throughout the period as Northwest Florida worked to maintain their double-digit lead.

- Nevaeh Scott nailed a three-pointer with seconds left, giving the Raiders a 51-37 lead heading into the final quarter.

Fourth Quarter

- Both teams shot effectively in the last period, but Northwest Florida capitalized on getting to the free-throw line, attempting 10 of their 30 total free throws in the quarter and making 70% of them.

- The Raiders scored 24 points in the fourth quarter and secured a 75-56 victory, marking their first win of the season.