Northwest Florida Advances to Third Straight Elite Eight with 59-41 Win Over Wallace State

CASPER, Wyo. — Northwest Florida State women's basketball took care of business in its tournament opener Thursday, defeating No. 19 Wallace State-Hanceville 59-41 in the second round of the NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Championship. With the victory, the Raiders punched their ticket to their third consecutive Elite Eight appearance—marking their fourth in the last five years.

Nevaeh Scott led all scorers with 20 points, shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Deborah Davenport was dominant on the glass, pulling down a game-high 19 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.

The Raiders got off to a slow start, trailing 11-10 after the first quarter while shooting just 5-of-14 from the field. Kyla McBride helped shift the momentum in the second, drilling a three-pointer to put Northwest Florida ahead. Sydney Bradley and Scott followed with back-to-back triples, giving the Raiders a nine-point cushion just before halftime. Northwest Florida entered the locker room with a 27-20 lead, outshooting Wallace State 39.3% to 30.0% in the first half while also holding an edge in rebounds (19-14) and assists (8-5).

Wallace State cut the deficit to five in the third quarter, but Scott continued her stellar performance, scoring the Raiders' next three baskets to extend the lead back to double digits. Davenport added to the advantage in the fourth with another three-pointer, followed by a Mekhia Chase jumper and another Scott triple. Northwest Florida outscored Wallace State 22-13 in the final period, sealing the 59-41 victory and securing a spot in the Elite Eight.

The Raiders will face the winner of Friday's 5:45 p.m. matchup between No. 6 Three Rivers and No. 11 Hutchinson—two familiar foes from last year's tournament. Northwest Florida defeated Three Rivers in the Elite Eight in 2024 before falling to Hutchinson in the National Championship Game.

Saturday's Elite Eight matchup is set for 5:45 p.m. (CDT) and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Postgame Notes

• The Raiders shot 42.6% from the field and 37.5% from three while converting 7-of-10 from the free-throw line (70.0%).
• Nevaeh Scott's 20-point performance tied her career high, a mark she previously set against Santa Fe College on November 8.
• Deborah Davenport recorded her seventh double-digit rebounding game of the season and her third in the last four contests. She is averaging 15 boards per game over that stretch.
• The Raiders dominated the glass, out-rebounding Wallace State by 13.
• The team tallied five blocks, with McBride and Davenport each contributing two.
• Northwest Florida improved to 28-1 this season when holding opponents under 60 points.
• This marks the Raiders' third straight trip to the Elite Eight and their sixth under head coach Bart Walker.