Raiders Aiming for Second-Straight National Championship Tomorrow Night in Casper
NJCAA DI Women's Basketball National Championship
#3 Northwest Florida State vs. #1 Hutchinson
Monday, April 1, 2024 | 6:00 PM (MDT) / 7:00 PM (CDT)
Ford Wyoming Center | Casper, Wyoming
TV: ESPN U
CASPER, Wyo. — Northwest Florida State has a chance to do something extraordinary tomorrow night. The Raiders have the opportunity to defend their crown and secure their second-straight National Championship - third in the last four years - when they take on No. 1 Hutchinson tomorrow night in the NJCAA DI Women's Championship game.
The 30-3 Raiders have had a tremendous season, winning the second most games in program history, including an undefeated non-conference and postseason record and a 9-3 record in conference play. Northwest Florida's journey started back in November when they were picked as the preseason number-one team and the favorites to cut down the nets once again.
After an 18-0 start to the season, it looked like this might be the case. However, the Raiders ran into a bit of trouble when they took on No. 2 Ranked Gulf Coast in the early portion of their conference schedule. The Raiders took a 32-point defeat on the road before losing to the Commodores by 11 at home just a few weeks later. To make things worse, the team was upset on their home floor the following week by conference rival Chipola, falling to the Indians by two possessions.
All of the sudden, things weren't looking as bright as they once were. The Raiders had fallen out of the top five for the first time all season, and were just looking to regain some momentum as the regular season neared it's conclusion.
Resilience, togetherness, and selflessness are what united this team throughout the season, and that's what would help them during the final month of the season. The Raiders ended the regular season on a three-game win streak, which included a double-digit win over Gulf Coast on the road, and earned a share of the Panhandle Conference Championship. Then, they rallied for three more wins in the FCSAA State/Region VIII tournament, defeating Gulf Coast in the championship game to secure another South Atlantic District Championship - the third of the Bart Walker era.
After winning the state tournament, the Raiders earned an automatic bid to this year's NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Championship in Casper, Wyo., where they would secure a three-seed and a first-round bye. Northwest Florida was given the tough task of facing the hometown team, Casper, in the second round of the tournament, which they knew would be a tough team and a tough environment.
The T-Birds were soaring in the first half, jumping out to a 47-38 lead over the Raiders thanks to nine made threes. However, Destiney McPhaul and Deborah Davenport—two of the returners from last season—would pop off, combining for 48 points in the game, helping the Raiders to a second-half comeback.
In the quarterfinal round, it was a battle of the Raiders as Northwest Florida took on Three Rivers for a spot in the final four. Three Rivers put up a good fight, but once Northwest Florida grabbed its lead, it never gave it back. Ultimately, the Raiders (NWF) would go on to win 69-64.
Finally, the only team standing in the way of the Raiders and the national championship was Wabash Valley, who came into the game as the No. 2 seed. The Warriors and Raiders went to war, going back and forth for 35 minutes, with neither team seeing a lead grow larger than five. It looked like the game would be decided in the final seconds, but a late 13-0 run by the Raiders provided them some cushion heading into the final stages of the ballgame. This proved to be the deciding factor as Northwest Florida secured another victory, beating Wabash Valley 86-72. Once again, It was McPhaul who led the charge, scoring a career-high 29 points, bringing her tournament average to 24 points per game.
And now here we are. Just one season after hoisting the trophy in Lubbock, the Raiders have a chance to do it again, this time in Casper. If they can do so, it would be their third National Championship in program history and third during the Bart Walker era, which has truly been incredible. The only thing standing in their way is No. 1 seed Hutchinson, who featured the country's best record at 36-0.
Hutchinson defeated Cochise (59-54), New Mexico (76-45), and Eastern Arizona (61-46) to reach this point. The Blue Dragons are very disciplined and well-coached. Hutchinson is led by John Ontjes, who's been with the program since 2007. He's won over 450 contests, eight Region VI Championships and appeared in four National Championship games. Unsurprisingly, his team was one of the best in the county on offense and defense.
The Raiders and Blue Dragons are scheduled to tip off tomorrow night at 6:00 PM (MDT)/ 7:00 PM (CDT) from the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper. The game will be televised on ESPN U and streamed on the ESPN app. If you're in the Niceville area, you can watch the game at the Preserve, A Bluewater Tap Room, which is hosting a watch party for tomorrow's game.
For complete coverage of Northwest Florida State Athletics, visit nwfraiders.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Northwest Florida Raiders), Instagram (@nwfraiders) and X (@NWFRaiders)
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