Northwest Florida Falls to No. 6 Chipola On the Road Claiming First Season Loss

MARIANNA, Fla. – Northwest Florida State women's basketball suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday, falling 67-57 to sixth-ranked Chipola in a tightly contested battle.

The game was neck-and-neck for three quarters, with both teams matching each other's intensity on defense and exchanging baskets. However, the decisive moment came in the fourth quarter, where Chipola outscored the Raiders 24-14 to secure the ten-point victory.

The first quarter ended in a 12-12 tie, as both teams played with equal physicality. Each squad collected nine rebounds and relied heavily on scoring in the paint to generate offense.

The second quarter followed a similar script, with both teams battling to establish rhythm inside. Turnovers from aggressive defense created scoring opportunities on both sides. While the Raiders connected on two three-pointers to expand the floor, Chipola capitalized on free throws, finishing the half with a narrow 33-30 lead.

In the third quarter, the back-and-forth continued. Northwest Florida scored seven of the first 11 points to tie the game at 37-37. Both defenses tightened up, limiting late-quarter scoring, and the teams entered the fourth quarter deadlocked at 43-43.

Chipola started the final period with a nine-point run, creating the game's largest lead and a momentum shift. The Raiders worked to close the gap, but the Indians answered every effort, maintaining control.

The Indians' dominant 24-10 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter ultimately sealed the win. Despite a hard-fought effort, the Raiders were unable to overcome the final push by Chipola.

STATS & PERFORANCES OF NOTE

• Most of the Indians scoring came from two players, Arielle Facyson (25) and Aniyah Ruddock (10).
• The Raiders two leading scorers were Mekhia Chase (12) and Nevaeh Scott (10).
• The game saw eight total ties and 22 lead changes.
• The Raiders largest lead was 2, while the Indians was 15 at one point in the fourth quarter.
• Both teams were ties in rebounds (44), however, the raiders carries the edge on the offensive glass (14-5).
• The Raiders also turned the ball over two less times than the Indians.
• This loss marks the first of the season for the Raiders, putting them at 18-1 overall, and 2-1 in conference play.

UP NEXT

The Raiders will be back in action next weekend when they hit the road for the third consecutive game as they head to the State Capital of Tallahassee to take on the Eagles. Tip off for that game is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CST.