JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a game defined by dramatic momentum shifts, the Jacksonville Dolphins used a dominant second quarter to overcome a strong third-quarter response from Florida International and secured an 80-69 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

A sparse crowd of 128 watched as the Dolphins improved to 3-1 on the young season, while the Golden Panthers fell to 1-3.

The contest was a tale of contrasting quarters. Florida International started steadily, holding a 13-15 lead after a tightly contested first period. The game then turned decisively in the second quarter, as Jacksonville erupted for 31 points while holding the Golden Panthers to 21, taking a 46-34 lead into halftime.

The script flipped completely after the break. Jacksonville’s offense went ice-cold in the third quarter, managing just seven points. Florida International capitalized, roaring back with a 24-point period to cut the deficit to a single point, 53-52, heading into the final frame.

However, the Dolphins rediscovered their rhythm in the fourth quarter, closing the game on a 27-17 run to pull away for the double-digit victory.

The game featured several standout individual performances. Jacksonville was led by Mychal White, a 5-foot-6 guard from Temple, Texas, who scored 19 points and dished out six assists in 26 minutes, providing crucial playmaking, especially during the team’s explosive second quarter.

For Florida International, the effort was spearheaded by Rhema Collins. The 6-foot-2 forward from Nassau, Bahamas, recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds while also blocking a shot in 31 minutes of action. She was complemented by Fantasia James of Orange Park, Florida, who scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds.

Jacksonville’s depth proved to be a significant factor. Priscilla Williams, a 6-foot-2 hometown player from Houston, Texas, contributed 12 points, three rebounds, and two blocks. Makiya Miller from Reynoldsburg, Ohio, also scored 12 points. Key contributions came off the bench as well, with Bailey Burns of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, scoring eight points, and local product Kimora Hester adding seven points in just seven minutes of play.

Denika Lightbourne, another player from Nassau, Bahamas, provided a spark for Florida International off the bench, scoring 15 points in 17 minutes.

The game was a rollercoaster from the opening tip. After a back-and-forth first quarter, Jacksonville seized control with a 31-point second period, fueled by White’s scoring and playmaking. The Golden Panthers looked to be in serious trouble at halftime, down by 12.

The third quarter, however, belonged entirely to Florida International. They locked down defensively, stifling the Dolphins’ offense and mounting a methodical comeback, largely on the backs of Collins and James, to set up a tense final period.

In the fourth, Jacksonville’s offense re-awakened. Timely baskets from White, Williams, and Hester, combined with a renewed defensive intensity, allowed the Dolphins to rebuild their lead and close out the game, avoiding what would have been a stunning collapse.

Entering the game, Jacksonville was considered the favorite, with Interstat’s ELO system giving the Dolphins a 68.40 percent probability to win.

Florida International will look to rebound when it hosts Maryland-Baltimore County on Friday, Nov. 28. Jacksonville’s next contest is at home against Ga. Southwestern on Tuesday, Nov. 25.