Raiders Survive Late Push From FSW, Defeat Bucs 60-56

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Northwest Florida State women's basketball team extended their perfect record to 7-0 with a hard-fought 60-56 victory over Florida Southwestern, holding off a late fourth-quarter rally by the Buccaneers.

The game was a battle from the start, with the Buccaneers keeping it close through the first half. The Raiders led by just five points at halftime despite struggling from beyond the arc with an 0-6 performance and shooting 39% from the field. Florida Southwestern also had shooting woes, hitting less than 30% of their attempts in the first half. However, turnovers were a persistent issue for Northwest Florida, as they gave up 10 possessions in the first 20 minutes.

Florida Southwestern came out strong in the third quarter, but the Raiders tightened up defensively and leaned on strong performances from guards Nevaeh Scott and Mekhia Chase to regain control. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Raiders seemed poised to secure a comfortable win. The Buccaneers, however, had other plans.

Led by Samantha Serrano's offensive explosion—scoring 13 points in the final quarter—the Buccaneers mounted a comeback, erasing the Raiders' double-digit lead. Serrano's clutch play tied the game at 56 with under a minute remaining, forcing Raiders' coach Bart Walker to call a timeout and regroup his team.

Out of the timeout, Deborah Davenport delivered a critical basket to put the Raiders back on top by two. After the Buccaneers missed a layup on the ensuing possession, they fouled Mekhia Chase, who calmly sank both free throws to seal the 60-56 win and preserve Northwest Florida's unbeaten streak.

KEY PERFORMERS

• Mekhia Chase led the Raiders with a team-high 18 points, setting a season-best for the second-year guard. She also added six rebounds, three assists, and two steals to her impressive performance. 
• Florida Southwestern's Samantha Serrano delivered a game-high 28 points, fueled by a dominant 13-point fourth quarter that nearly led the Buccaneers to a comeback. She shot 50% from the field and accounted for all three of the Bucs' three-pointers. 
• Jade Ondineme and Nevaeh Scott both contributed 13 points for the Raiders. This marked Ondineme's third consecutive game scoring in double figures and Scott's second straight. 
• Deborah Davenport was a defensive force, blocking three shots and recording a steal. This was her fourth game this season with multiple blocks, and she continues to lead the team with 1.9 blocks per game. 

NUMBERS OF NOTE:

• The Raiders shot 48% from the field as a team but struggled from beyond the arc, making just one of seven attempts.
• After a slow start offensively, the Buccaneers improved their shooting percentage from 29% in the first half to 43% in the second, finishing at 36% for the game.
• Northwest Florida won the rebounding battle with a 37-30 advantage over the Buccaneers.
• Both teams were efficient from the free-throw line, converting 13 attempts each. The Raiders hit 65% of their shots, while the Buccaneers connected on 72%.
• For the third straight game, the Raiders committed over 20 turnovers, giving up possession 23 times in this matchup.
• Defense remains a key for the Raiders, who have only lost once in the past five years when holding opponents under 60 points. That loss came in the 2023 FCSAA State Championship, where they fell to Eastern Florida 48-43.

NEXT GAME

The Raiders and Buccaneers won't have to wait long for a rematch. The two teams are set to face off again next week on November 22 at the Gulf Coast Classic in Panama City Beach. The Raiders will also take on Southern Union the following day, November 23, in their second game of the event.