Northwest Florida State Holds Off Chipola for 22nd Win of the Season

NICEVILLE, Fla. — Northwest Florida State women's basketball team notched its 22nd win of the season Wednesday night, overcoming a late surge from #3-ranked Chipola to secure a 57-50 victory.

The Raiders dominated the first half, jumping out to a double-digit lead (12-2) within the first six minutes. Their offense thrived in the paint, accounting for 20 of their 35 first-half points.

The second quarter saw Northwest Florida's defense stifle Chipola, limiting the Indians to just two field goals—both three-pointers—while extending the Raiders' lead to 21 at halftime. Deborah Davenport led all scorers at the break with eight points and five rebounds, as the Raiders shot an efficient 53.3% from the field, primarily scoring in the paint. Meanwhile, Chipola struggled offensively, shooting just 19.2%.

The Indians found their rhythm in the third quarter, opening with back-to-back three-pointers and capitalizing on seven free throws to cut the deficit to 15 entering the final period.

Chipola continued to chip away in the fourth, forcing multiple turnovers and getting key defensive stops. With under two minutes remaining, the Indians closed the gap to single digits (54-45) before sparking a 7-0 run to pull within four.

Despite the late rally, the Raiders remained composed at the free-throw line, knocking down clutch shots in the closing moments to hold off Chipola and seal the win.

Post Game Notes

• Northwest Florida improves to 6-1 in conference play with the win tonight, taking sole possession of first place in the Panhandle Conference Standings.
• This marks the Raiders sixth victory of the season over an NJCAA top 25 team.
• The Raiders finished the game with a 44.2% clip from the field while holding the Indians to just 27.9% for the game.
• The Turnover battle was even at 17 while the Raiders edged the Indians in rebounds by two (42-40).
• Deborah Davenport (12) and Jade Ondineme (10) paced the Raiders in scoring. Ondieme finished one rebound shy of her first double-double.
• The Raiders biggest lead was 25 coming in the opening minutes of the third quarter.

UP NEXT

The team will be back at it Saturday afternoon for a matchup with Tallahassee State beginning at 2:00 p.m. The Raiders are 2-0 against the Eagles this season with wins at home and on the road. Their last meeting came two weeks ago in the state capitol where the Raiders secured a 62-49 victory.