ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Sixth-seeded Azusa Pacific came within seconds of advancing in the NCAA West Regional before third-seeded Cal Poly Pomona delivered the decisive blow, defeating the Cougars 56–54 in a dramatic quarterfinal contest at Nicholson Arena.
The Cougars (23-10) led for much of the afternoon and carried a four-point edge into the fourth quarter before the Broncos closed the game with a late surge.
Azusa Pacific opened strong, taking a 15–11 lead after the first quarter and extending the advantage to as many as 10 points early in the second. The Cougars held Cal Poly Pomona to just 35.7 percent shooting in the opening frame while finding rhythm offensively behind Lauren Jones and Rome Falcocchia.
Cal Poly Pomona responded in the second quarter, using an 8-of-12 performance at the free-throw line to rally and take a slim 31–30 lead into halftime.
The Cougars regained momentum in the third period. APU outscored the Broncos 12–8 in the quarter and built a 42–39 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes, fueled by timely baskets from Jones and strong work on the glass from Keisharna Lucas.
The fourth quarter featured seven lead changes as both teams traded critical baskets down the stretch. With just 37 seconds remaining, Jones knocked down a jumper to give APU a 54–53 lead and put the Cougars within reach of a regional semifinal berth.
Cal Poly Pomona answered moments later when Brielle Minor converted a fast-break layup with nine seconds left to give the Broncos the lead. APU was unable to regain possession in the final seconds, sealing the two-point defeat.
Jones led Azusa Pacific with 15 points and eight rebounds while shooting 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Rome Falcocchia added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting, and Audrey Sayoc contributed nine points and a game-high nine assists. Keisharna Lucas controlled the boards with 15 rebounds to anchor APU's interior presence.
The Cougars finished the game shooting 22-of-73 (30.1 percent) from the field and 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) from three while forcing 17 turnovers and collecting 25 second-chance points.
Cal Poly Pomona was led by Sydney Nelson's 19 points and Hunter Hudson's dominant presence on the glass with 17 rebounds as the Broncos held a 54–47 rebounding advantage.
Despite the heartbreaking finish, Azusa Pacific closes the season at 23-10 after earning an NCAA Tournament berth and competing in one of the most tightly contested games of the West Regional.
