Raiders Set to Host Chipola Saturday
NICEVILLE, Fla. — Coming off a pair of nail-biting victories in Panama City Wednesday, Northwest Florida State men's and women's basketball return home Saturday for another pair of ranked matchups against Chipola.
Both teams are looking to improve to 3-1 in Panhandle Play. The women will have a tough task in facing No. 1 ranked Indians, while the men are also looking to go 3-1 and remain in first place in the Panhandle standings when they face No. 13 Chipola.
Game Information
January 24, 2026
Location: Niceville, FL | Raider Arena
Live Stream Link
Women (2:00 p.m.)
No. 4 Northwest Florida (16-2, 2-1) vs. No. 1 Chipola (18-1 3-0)
Men (4:00 p.m.)
No. 4 Northwest Florida (19-2, 2-1) vs. No. 13 Chipola (17-4, 1-2)
Women's Game Notes
Last Week: No. 4 Northwest Florida women's basketball pulled out another fourth quarter victory over No. 9 Gulf Coast State on the road Wednesday. Both teams were tied after halftime and the third quarter, but costly Commodore turnovers combined with some clutch scoring from Raider starters Khoudia Diagne and Niylia Wilkins. Wilkins led the team in scoring with 19 points flowed by Diagne with 14. Korporan was dominant on the glass leading the game with 12 rebounds.
This Week:
The Raiders return home Saturday to host No. 1 Chipola at 2:00 p.m. This game will be a Chick-fil-A promotion game. Fans in attendance will receive a free sandwich coupon, with one lucy fan getting a chance to receive free CFA for a year.
The Opponent:
Chipola enters the game as the No 1 ranked team in the nation, boasting a 18-1 overall record and 3-0 conference record. The Indians are coming off a 11-point win against Tallahassee Wednesday at home.
The Indians are one of the most well-rounded teams in the nation this season ranking fifth in points per game (84.5), field goals made (31.7), second in total rebounds (57.8), blocks per game (4.4), and points per game allowed (53.0).
Taylor Rietveld leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.8 points per game followed by Daniya McDonald (14.1), Sereena Heeren (12.5). Serena is also the Indians leading rebounded, averaging 9.6 boards per game.
By the Numbers:
Northwest Florida boasts one of the nation's elite defenses, allowing just 46.2 points per game — the second-lowest mark in the country. The Raiders also hold opponents to 33.7 percent shooting, ranking 25th nationally. Offensively, Northwest Florida has been just as effective, averaging 76.1 points per game (28th nationally) while ranking top 20 in both field goal percentage (2nd, 51.5%) and three-point percentage (16th, 34.5%).
Khoudia Diagne:
Freshman Khoudia Diagne has been Northwest Florida's most complete performer this season, leading the team in scoring (15.8 ppg), rebounding (7.9 rpg), and blocks (1.2 bpg). Diagne has scored in double figures in 16 games, including six outings with 20 or more points.
Jadah White:
Another freshman standout, Jadah White has been red-hot offensively, averaging 14.6 points over her last five games. Her recent surge has helped lift her season average to 12.3 points per game, while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three-point range.
Kamryn Corporan:
Corporan continues to be a key playmaker on both ends of the floor, leading the Raiders with 5.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game. She also posted a career-high 12 rebounds in her last outing at Gulf Coast.
Men's Game Notes
Last Week:
Northwest Florida State men earned another close win Wednesday night in Panama City against No. 6 Gulf Coast. The Raiders' offensive trio of DJ Shine, Damarion Vann-Kelly, and Jonas Nichols was nearly unstoppable. The three combined for 69 points on an efficient 68.0 percent shooting performance and connected on 14 three-pointers. Shine led the way with 25 points in just his second game back from injury, Vann-Kelly added 23—one shy of his career high—and Nichols chipped in 21. As a team, Northwest Florida shot an outstanding 61.8 percent from the field and a scorching 70.0 percent (14-of-20) from beyond the arc, marking a new season high.
This Week:
The Raiders return home for their fourth conference matchup, hosting No. 13 Chipola. The team looks to keep their recent momentum alive and extend their win streak to three games, keeping them in first place of the conference standings at 3-1.
The Opponent:
After a slow 0-2 start to conference play, No. 13 Chipola got back on track Wednesday with a 15-point win over No. 9 Tallahassee, earning their first conference win. Fans can expect a physical game defensively from the Indians. The team is holding opponents to under 70.0 points on the year, and ranks ninth in block per game (5.5) and 18th in rebounds per game (43.2).
Desmond Kent Jr. leads the Indians in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, along with 6.6 rebounds. Hedrens Bartelus is right behind Kent with 13.1 points per game, followed by Demarco Middleton at 12.7 points.
By the Numbers:
Northwest Florida has been one of the most efficient offensive teams in the NJCAA, averaging 86.0 points per game on 52.6 percent shooting (4th nationally) and 39.6 percent from three-point range (8th). The Raiders have eclipsed the 100-point mark six times this season and scored 90 or more in 11 games. Northwest Florida has also thrived in close contests, posting a 8–1 record in games decided by fewer than 10 points, including a perfect 2–0 mark in overtime. The team is also ranked 5-2 in games against Ranked opponents.
Return of Shine:
Leading scorer DJ Shine returned to action last week after missing 10 games due to injury and has made an immediate impact. In two games, Shine has scored 32 points, including 25 in Wednesday's game at Gulf Coast.
Braylon Roman:
The Raiders' lone returner from last season, Braylon Roman remains a central figure in the offense. He ranks third on the team in scoring at 13.6 points per game and leads the Raiders in assists (5.1) and steals (1.4) while shooting 52.3 percent from the field.
Justin Burns:
Sophomore transfer Justin Burns has been a steady force in the paint, averaging 14.0 points per game and leads the team with 7.9 rebounds per contest. Burns has scored in double figures in all but three games this season and has recorded seven or more rebounds in 16 games. This will also be his first time playing his former team this season.