Northwest Florida Opens NJCAA Tournament Run Sunday Night Against Bishop State

NICEVILLE, Fla. — The road to Hutchinson is complete, and now the real journey begins.

Northwest Florida men's basketball opens its quest for a fourth national championship Sunday night at Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas. The Raiders will face No. 22 seed Bishop State, a team entering the tournament with momentum after winning eight of its last 10 games, including an upset victory over Shelton State in the South District Championship.

With a win, Northwest Florida would advance to face No. 6 seed Vincennes in the second round on Tuesday.

The Raiders are looking to bounce back after a tough semifinal loss to Chipola in the FCSAA Tournament, while Bishop State arrives confident and dangerous, hoping to continue its run and pull off another upset on the national stage.

Game Info

Matchup: (11) Northwest Florida vs. (22) Bishop State

Date/Time: March 22, 2026 / 8:00 p.m. (CDT)

Location: Hutchinson, KS— Hutchinson Sports Arena

Event: NJCAA Basketball Championship First Round

Stream: ESPN+

Bracket: Bracket

Last Time Out

Northwest Florida dropped a hard-fought 66–63 decision to No. 7 Chipola in the semifinals of the FCSAA (Region 8) Tournament, evening the season series at two wins apiece after the Raiders took two of three in the regular season. Despite a strong defensive effort, the Raiders struggled to find consistency on the offensive end, shooting just 35 percent from the field and an uncharacteristic 3-for-20 (15 percent) from beyond the arc. Chipola also held the edge on the glass, outrebounding Northwest Florida 44–34, including a 19–15 advantage in offensive rebounds. DJ Shine led the Raiders with 17 points, while Justin Burns added a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double.

Road to Hutch

Northwest Florida enters the NJCAA Tournament as the No. 11 seed following a 25–7 season that included a 7–5 mark in Panhandle Conference play. The Raiders earned a share of their 17th conference championship in a four-way tie and secured the No. 1 overall seed in the FCSAA Tournament. In postseason play, Northwest Florida opened with a 64–61 win over Miami Dade before falling to Chipola in the semifinals. The Raiders ultimately earned an at-large bid, one of four teams representing Florida and Region 8 in this year's tournament field.

Uphill Climb

Few teams in the country have been tested like the Raiders this season. Northwest Florida played 15 games against ranked opponents, going 8–7 in those matchups, and faced 20 teams that were ranked at some point during the year, posting a 13–7 record. At one point, the entire Panhandle Conference was ranked inside the NJCAA Top 20. Down the stretch, 11 of the Raiders' final 14 games came against ranked competition, including a nine-game stretch where all but one opponent was nationally ranked—turning nearly every night into a postseason-type battle.

History at Hutch

This marks the program's 15th appearance at the NJCAA National Tournament, where Northwest Florida has built one of the most successful resumes in the country. The Raiders hold a 43–19 all-time record at the national tournament, the sixth-most wins in tournament history, and the most wins in the modern era (since 2013) with a 22–7 mark. Northwest Florida has reached six national championship games, winning three titles:

•1995: 79–63 vs. Spartanburg Methodist (under Murray Arnold)

•2015: 83–80 (OT) vs. South Plains (under Steve DeMeo)

•2022: 87–67 vs. Salt Lake (under Greg Heiar)

The Raiders' most recent title game appearance came in 2023, when they fell 73–70 to John A. Logan.

Offensive Efficiency

Offense has been a major strength for Northwest Florida all season. The Raiders average 81.5 points per game while shooting an impressive 50.1 percent from the field—ranking fifth nationally—and 39.0 percent from three-point range, which ranks seventh in the NJCAA. They also rank inside the top 30 nationally in both offensive efficiency (1.123) and NET efficiency (0.133), highlighting their ability to score at a high level and maintain consistent production.

100-1,000

Despite being located just over 100 miles apart, the Raiders and Wildcats will travel more than 1,000 miles to meet in a win-or-go-home matchup, with the winner advancing to face No. 6 seed Vincennes in the second round. Northwest Florida and Bishop State don't meet often on the court. The two programs have faced each other just twice in the past decade, both coming during the 2024–25 season when the Raiders won both matchups.