Diagne Lifts Raiders to Road Upset of No. 1 Chipola

MARIANNA, Fla. — No. 5 Northwest Florida women's basketball walked into the Milton H. Johnson Center on Saturday night and walked out with a statement win, edging top-ranked Chipola 69–66 to hand the Indians their first conference loss of the season.

The opening half was a defensive battle, with neither team able to gain separation. The game was knotted at 13–13 after one quarter as both offenses searched for rhythm. Chipola briefly grabbed momentum in the second, but the Raiders answered with timely stops and strong interior play. Ka'Zahria Johnson capped the half with a clutch second-chance bucket at the buzzer, giving Northwest Florida a slim 28–27 lead at the break.

Northwest Florida seized control in the third quarter, opening on an early run to push the lead to eight within the first three minutes. The Raiders continued to dominate inside and on the glass, stretching the advantage to 12 by the media timeout. Aggressive play led to frequent trips to the free-throw line, where the Raiders capitalized, carrying a 54–43 lead into the fourth.

Chipola responded with a furious 12–2 run to start the final quarter, trimming the deficit to one. Unfazed, the Raiders regrouped and delivered key baskets down the stretch to reclaim a two-possession cushion. Chipola had multiple opportunities late, but Northwest Florida's defense held firm to secure the road upset.

Khoudia Diagne led all scorers with 22 points and nine rebounds, shooting 6-for-13 from the field and knocking down 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Jadah White added 13 points, while Carington Jones and Ka'Zahria Johnson each chipped in 12. Jones and Johnson were also active on the boards, pulling down five rebounds apiece. Northwest Florida controlled the glass overall, outrebounding Chipola 40–34.

The Raiders return home Wednesday for another ranked showdown, hosting No. 15 Gulf Coast. Northwest Florida took the first meeting in Panama City last month, 60–54.