Pirates Upset No. 2 Northwest Florida 69-66

Pensacola State women's basketball handed No. 2 Northwest Florida State Raiders (23-2, 7-2) its second loss of the season on Saturday in a hard-fought Panhandle showdown.

The Raiders got off to a fast start, but the Pirates responded quickly and trailed 20-19 after one quarter. In the second, Northwest Florida built a 25-19 lead early, but Pensacola held the Raiders scoreless for four minutes and clawed back to take its first lead. The Raiders briefly regained the advantage before the Pirates knocked down a buzzer-beating three to head into halftime up 33-31.

The third quarter saw multiple lead changes as both teams continued their offensive rhythm, but the Pirates held on to a slim 51-49 edge heading into the fourth.

The final quarter was a battle, with the Raiders staying within reach. With 2:33 remaining, Allyson Ferguson connected on a pair of free throws to bring Northwest as close as 64-63. The Pirates failed to score on their next possession, but a relentless defensive effort forced a 30-second shot clock violation on the visiting squad. On the ensuing possession, Audreonia Benson connected on a wide-open triple to give the Pirates a 67-64 advantage with 1:12 left. The Raiders responded with a bucket at the rim from Jade Ondineme to cut the lead to 67-66.

In the game's final seconds, Akeelah Bryan knocked down two free throws to extend the Pirates' lead to 69-66. With less than seven seconds remaining, Kamryn Corporan managed to break up the court unguarded and launched a wide-open three at the buzzer. In dramatic fashion, the shot rattled in the cylinder before ultimately bouncing off the rim, giving the Pirates the much-needed upset of the Raiders.

Bryan led the Pirates' scoring attack with 17 points while going a perfect 3-3 from distance and 2-2 from the charity stripe. Jaida McDonald added a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards, while Talia Kemp added 13 points with seven assists. Katiya Casey and Benson had 12 and 10 points, respectively. Navaeh Scott led Northwest with 16 points.

With the win, Pensacola State (18-11, 3-8) moves one game closer to securing a playoff berth.

Up Next: Pensacola State will travel to Panama City to take on No. 10 Gulf Coast State Commodores on March 1, 2025.