Raiders Advance to NJCAA Final Four

LUBBOCK, Texas – For the first time in 26 years the Northwest Florida State women's basketball will play in the NJCAA Final Four as the Raiders defeated fourth-seeded South Plains, 63-54, in the Rip Griffin Center on Thursday.

The Raiders (22-2), who will be making their first semifinals appearance since 1994-95, built a 16-point lead in the second quarter, 33-17, just to watch as South Plains cut it to eight just before halftime.

The Texans pulled to within two, 46-44, in the fourth quarter but could not slow down Chanaya Pinto, who scored 11 of her 23 points over the final 10 minutes.

Pinto scored 15 of Northwest Florida's 30 second half points, including the team's first seven of the final quarter.

Last-Tear Poa was equally as impressive with a game-high 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting highlighted by five 3-pointers.

After South Plains cut NWF's lead to five, 52-47, Poa knocked down her final three of the game with 2:57 left to put the Raider back up eight.

Pinto and Poa combined for 75 percent of the team's offense as well as seven rebounds, six assists, and seven steals.

As a team, Northwest Florida shot 41.2 percent (21-51) as a team and converted 15 of their 19 free throw attempts. South Plains managed to shoot 38 percent (19-50) from the field and were 7-of-22 from three-point range.

The Raiders take on 9-seed Three Rivers at 4 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals. A win would give Northwest Florida's women's basketball program its first-ever NJCAA Women's Basketball Championship title game appearance.

For more information on Northwest Florida State Athletics, visit NWFRaiders.com or follow the team on Twitter at @NWFRaiders.