Week one of the Raider basketball season is officially in the books. Both Northwest Florida men’s and women’s basketball programs opened their 2025-26 campaigns last weekend during the first of two Raider Classics hosted this month.
The Raider men started strong, going 2-0 with wins over Southern Union and Baton Rouge, while the women dominated their lone matchup against Volunteer State.
This weekend, the Raiders are back in action as they welcome six new teams to Raider Arena for another exciting slate of games.
On Friday, the women and men will face Lawson State at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., respectively. The action continues Saturday, with the women taking on Region VIII foe Miami Dade and the men squaring off against Monroe College (NY).
Raider Classic Schedule
Friday (11/7)
- Game 1: Miami Dade vs. Pensacola State (Women) – 1:00 p.m.
- Game 2: Monroe vs. Pensacola State (Men) – 3:00 p.m.
- Game 3: Lawson State vs. #1 Northwest Florida (Women) – 5:00 p.m.
- Game 4: Lawson State vs. #7 Northwest Florida (Men) – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday (11/8)
- Game 1: Lawson State vs. Pensacola State (Women) – 1:00 p.m.
- Game 2: Lawson State vs. Pensacola State (Men) – 3:00 p.m.
- Game 3: Miami Dade vs. #1 Northwest Florida (Women) – 5:00 p.m.
- Game 4: Monroe vs. #7 Northwest Florida (Men) – 7:00 p.m.
Last Week’s Results
Women
Oct. 31 vs. Volunteer State – W, 90–35 (Box Score)
The top-ranked Raiders proved why they hold the No. 1 NJCAA preseason ranking, cruising to a dominant 90–35 victory over Volunteer State. Northwest Florida shot 67.9% from the field, 30.8% from three, and 62.5% from the line, while holding the Pioneers to just 23.5% overall and 10.5% from beyond the arc.
Top scorers included Niylia Wilkins (23 points), Shakira Gresham (12 points), and Khoudia Diagne (10 points), with Diagne also leading all players with seven rebounds.
Men
Oct. 31 vs. Southern Union – W, 104–85 (Box Score)
Nov. 1 vs. Baton Rouge – W, 91–67 (Box Score)
The Raider men opened the season in style, starting 2–0 with a pair of high-powered offensive performances. Northwest Florida shot a blistering 61.9% against Southern Union and 60.0% against Baton Rouge, while converting 65.1% of their 63 total free throw attempts across both contests.
DJ Shine was electric all weekend, scoring 50 points over two games, including 32 in the season opener, on 71.4% shooting (15-21). Justin Burns and Braylon Roman also played key roles—Burns averaged 13.5 points and 11.5 rebounds, including 15 boards against Southern Union, while Roman added 13.0 points per game and led the offense with strong playmaking.
Shine-ing Above the Rest
After an outstanding debut performance, DJ Shine has been named the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) DI Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. Shine becomes the first Raider this season to earn the honor, and the first since Davion Hill (2024-25) to receive the award.
Shine’s 32-point performance marked the highest-scoring debut by a Raider since Tray Boyd III (2017-18), who tallied 30 points in his first game against Coastal Alabama-North. He was one of only two players in the Region to score 30 or more points during opening weekend, and one of three to post 20-plus points in two games last week. Shine also ranks 10th in the Region in field goal percentage (71.4%), among players averaging at least five made field goals per game.
Nationally, Shine ranks 10th in the NJCAA for points per game and 27th in points per 40 minutes played amongst qualified players.
