Eagle women upset No. 4 Northwest Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (January 3, 2015) - Tallahassee Community College's women's basketball team scored its biggest win of the Franqua "Q" Bedell era, knocking off previously undefeated Northwest Florida State College on Saturday evening in the Panhandle Conference opener for both teams. 

Tallahassee, who entered the game ranked No. 14 nationally and No. 4 in the FCSAA Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll, improved to 16-3 and snapped a 13-game losing streak to the Raiders. 

Northwest Florida State (15-1), ranked No.4 in the NJCAA poll and No. 2 in the FCSAA, lost for the first time in 16 outings this season. 

Making the victory more impressive was how the Eagles won – erasing a 16-point, first-half deficit, buoyed by a 13-0 run in the opening minutes of the second stanza. 

"They had us on our heels but we finally calmed down and played the way we needed to play defensively," said Bedell "That gave us some easy baskets which got our offense rolling." 

Daniella Wallen's basket gave Northwest Florida State a 34-18 lead with 3:40 left in the first half, and the Raiders were set to carry a double-digit lead to the locker room but Cat Wells knocked down a three-pointer in the closing seconds to pull Tallahassee within nine (38-29). 

Trailing 42-38 with 17:27 left in the game, Tallahassee rattled off 13 unanswered points to take the lead and control of the game. Wells started the run with another of her five three-pointers but it was the Tallahassee defense that turned the game. The Eagles' final four baskets in the run came off Northwest Florida State turnovers, the last by Eboni Watts to give Tallahassee a 53-42 lead with 13:13 remaining. 

Tallahassee never trailed again but Northwest Florida State made things interesting, pulling to within 63-59 with 1:48 left but the Raiders didn't score again. 

Wells had a career night, scoring 28 points and was the only Tallahassee player in double-figures. 

Wallen led Northwest Florida State with 15 points. 

Tallahassee returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Pensacola State College for a 6:30 p.m. game against the Pirates.