Raiders Open Postseason Run Wednesday Against No. 8 Miami Dade
NICEVILLE, Fla. — March has arrived, and with it comes the return of the FCSAA Basketball Championships at Raider Arena. For the seventh consecutive year, Northwest Florida State College will host the annual tournament, with 16 teams competing this week for a pair of state titles. The Northwest Florida State men's basketball team will look to be among the final teams standing.
Game Info
#1 Northwest Florida State vs. #8 Miami Dade
March 11, 2026
Location: Niceville, FL, Raider Arena
Event: FCSAA Division I Basketball Championship Quarterfinal
Live Stream: FCSAA Digital Network
Bracket: Men's Bracket
Road to March
The Raiders enter the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed following an impressive regular season that saw them finish 24-6 overall and 7-5 in Panhandle Conference play. Northwest Florida shared the conference title in a four-way tie with Gulf Coast, Chipola, and Tallahassee. However, the Raiders secured the top seed in the tournament thanks to the Massey Ratings, which ranked them as the highest-rated team in the state.
Northwest Florida faced one of the toughest schedules in the nation this season, playing 19 games against ranked opponents and posting a 13-6 record in those matchups. Five of the six losses came against conference opponents, highlighting just how competitive the schedule was.
Still, once the postseason begins, records and rankings are left behind.
Back on the Dance Floor
The Raiders are very familiar with the FCSAA Tournament, especially with Raider Arena serving as the host site for the past six years. During that span, Northwest Florida has enjoyed consistent success, capturing the Region 8 Championship in 2023 and finishing runner-up in 2024.
Overall, the program has won 10 Region 8 titles, the second-most in tournament history. After narrowly missing the tournament last season with a fourth-place conference finish, the Raiders return this year aiming to reclaim the championship and earn a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.
The Opponent
Northwest Florida will open tournament play against No. 8 seed Miami Dade, which finished 17-13 overall and 8-8 in Citrus Conference play.
The Sharks rely heavily on their perimeter-oriented offense, averaging 62 shot attempts per game, including about 23 three-point attempts. Miami Dade shoots 45.8 percent from the field and 31 percent from beyond the arc.
Rebounding and defense are key strengths for the Sharks, who average nearly 40 rebounds per game while forcing 15.3 turnovers per contest, including 9.0 steals per game. Defensively, they hold opponents to 71.8 points per game.
Miami Dade's roster features just eight players, but it is led by All-FCSAA selection Anthony Breland, who averages 17.6 points and 3.3 assists per game. He is joined by All-Citrus Conference selection David Verstraeten, who averages 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
Postseason Honors
Several Raiders were recognized with postseason awards following the regular season. Braylon Roman, DJ Shine, and Jonas Nichols were named First Team All-Panhandle Conference, while Justin Burns earned Second Team honors. Roman also received All-FCSAA recognition.
Coach DeMeo was named Co-Conference Coach of the Year for the Panhandle, marking the sixth time he's won the award.
The Bracket
The winner of Wednesday's matchup will advance to face the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 game between Chipola and Florida Southwestern, which is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Wednesday.
The semifinal round will take place Friday at 3:00 p.m., with the FCSAA Championship Game set for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in Raider Arena.