Northwest Florida Captures Third National Championship with Victory Over Shelton State

CASPER, Wyo. — One year ago, the Northwest Florida State women's basketball team was on the brink of winning back-to-back national championships. With just 2.3 seconds remaining, the Raiders led top-ranked Hutchinson 69-66 in the 2024 title game. But fate had other plans. A last-second foul on a three-point attempt sent Hutchinson to the free-throw line, where they sank all three shots to force overtime—ultimately winning 88-80.

That heartbreaking loss stayed with the 13 players and coaching staff. To come so close, only to have victory slip away, was devastating. But instead of dwelling on the past, the team used it as motivation for a redemption season.

Despite losing six sophomores in 2024, including All-Americans Destiney McPhaul and Celia Riviere, the Raiders retained six key players for the 2024-25 season—most notably, 2024 All-Tournament selection and 2023 national champion, Deborah Davenport. Their mindset all season long was simple: "Finish it."

And on Tuesday night in Casper, Wyoming, they did just that.

Northwest Florida defeated No. 8 Shelton State 62-53 to capture the program's third national championship in five seasons (2021, 2023, 2025), completing their redemption story.

Nevaeh Scott delivered another dominant performance, scoring 25 points and finishing the tournament with an average of 24.5 points per game on 57.9% shooting. Her efforts earned her Tournament MVP honors, along with a spot on the All-Tournament Team alongside teammates Mekhia Chase and Deborah Davenport.

Chase and Davenport also stepped up in the title game. Chase contributed 11 points and eight rebounds, while Davenport grabbed 10 rebounds, marking her third double-digit rebounding game of the tournament. Kyla McBride was another key performer, tallying 13 points, one steal, and one block.

The Raiders struck first, with Davenport opening the scoring with a layup. McBride followed with a three-pointer, and Chase added a mid-range jumper to put Northwest Florida up 7-4 early in the first quarter.Shelton State kept pace, responding to every Raider bucket and preventing them from pulling away. But back-to-back layups by Chase helped Northwest Florida secure a 20-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Buccaneers tightened the gap in the second, scoring three consecutive layups to trim the Raiders' lead to three with 7:24 left in the half. After Scott knocked down a jumper to extend the lead back to five, the Raiders went cold, failing to make a field goal for the next four minutes. Fortunately, Shelton State only shot 2-of-9 in that stretch, allowing Northwest Florida to hold onto the lead. The Raiders closed the half on a 7-2 run, heading into the locker room up 33-27.

At halftime, the Raiders were shooting 48.3% from the field, leading both the assist (7-4) and turnover battle (6-9). However, they were getting severely outworked on the glass (24-13), with the Buccaneers pulling down 16 offensive rebounds. Scott led all scorers with 14 points, while Chase and McBride each had six.

Scott and Davenport opened the second half with back-to-back baskets, giving the Raiders their first double-digit lead (38-28). Midway through the third, McBride drilled another three-pointer, stretching the lead to 13 points. Shelton State responded with a surge, cutting the deficit to eight with 2:37 left in the third quarter. But Chase and McBride helped push the lead back to double digits, sending the Raiders into the fourth quarter ahead 48-38.

The fourth quarter started slow, with both teams struggling offensively. McBride hit a jumper with 5:03 left to put Northwest Florida up 53-41, but the Buccaneers refused to go away. A three-pointer from Shelton State cut the lead to nine, but Chase immediately answered with a three of her own. The Buccaneers countered with another deep shot, sparking a 9-0 run that brought the Raiders' lead down to just three (56-53) with 1:57 remaining.

Despite the pressure, Northwest Florida stayed composed. Shelton State was forced to foul, sending Nevaeh Scott to the free-throw line three times in the final minutes. She knocked down all six clutch free throws, securing the 62-53 victory and the national championship.

After the game, Bart Walker addressed the media, reflecting on the journey that led to this moment.

"It's been an up-and-down battle," Walker said. "Like I told you yesterday, perseverance has been our focus all season, and we definitely had to show that tonight. We had a sluggish start but finally got into rhythm in the second half. Seeing the joy on these players' faces, especially those who sacrificed and came back, makes it all worth it. This one's special."

When asked about the bond and camaraderie within his team, Walker emphasized their selflessness.

"We talk about being selfless all the time, and honestly, this is one of the most selfless teams I've ever coached. They don't care who gets the glory—they just want to win and do it together. That's rare in today's world, and I'm incredibly proud of them. Even the players who didn't get many minutes were grinding with us in practice, bringing energy and a great voice to the team. I'm proud of every single one of them."

Walker also spoke about Nevaeh Scott's performance and the impact she has had on the team.

"I'm going to miss her tremendously," he admitted. "We're going to have a lot of pressure next year with so many key players moving on, but Nevaeh has grown so much—especially off the court. That's helped her develop as a leader, and she's become so much stronger with her voice and presence. She has a bright future ahead, and we'll be seeing her on TV a lot. She's a Memphis tough girl—you can't beat those Memphis players."

Capping off an incredible season, Walker was named Coach of the Tournament—his third such honor in five seasons—adding to his already impressive résumé alongside his three national titles.