RIVERSIDE, Calif.-- The NAIA’s No. 14-ranked Azusa Pacific closed the game with an 8-2 run to claw its way to a 68-63 GSAC road win over California Baptist Tuesday night in Riverside.

With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 13-4, 5-1. Cal Baptist drops to 11-6, 3-2.

It wasn’t the prettiest game, but the Cougars were in control most of the night. The Cougars shot just 30% from the field, including just converting 9 field goals in the second half, which prevented them from pulling away.

The Cougars took their largest lead of the game on a pair of free throws by Kelsey Hudson with 6:04 to play. Those free throws gave the Cougars a 57-50 advantage and capped a mini-6-0 run in which Alyssa Ferdaszewski hit back-to-back lay-ups.

The Cougars seemed ready to blow the game wide open, but the Lancers stormed right back. Keyed by a pair of treys by Leslie Newkirk, Cal Baptist used an 10-3 run of its own to tie the game at 60-60 with 3:24 to play.

Lindsay Rice, though, broke the tie with a lay-up with 2:37 to play. It was the last Cougar field goal of the game. They hit 6-of-7 free throws down the stretch and shut the Lancers down, limiting them to a meaningless trey with 12 seconds left.

“I thought our effort was there all night,” said Azusa Pacific head coach Danelle Liles. “Our defense was much better in the second half.”

Ferdaszewski led the Cougars with 13 points. Hudson finished with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Freshman Ashley Oakes put together her second straight effective game and finished with 10 points, including a pair of treys and a pair of free throws with 8 seconds left to ice the game.

“Ashley hit some big shots and is beginning to get her confidence back,” said Liles. “This is what we expected from her when we recruited her.”