Box Score MARIETTA, Ga. – The No. 2-seed Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team caught the March Madness fever at just the right time, as the Cougars upset top-seed Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.), 82-68, for the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Division I Conference Championship on Sunday at the Eagles' Nest.

The Cougars have won four straight games, six of their last seven, and improve to 15-17 overall. It is the second time that CSUSM has won an A.I.I. title; the Cougars won the A.I.I. Division II crown in the program's debut season in 2011-12.

The victory guarantees CSUSM a berth to the 34^th-annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship, March 19-25 at Frankfort Convention Center in Frankfort, Ky.

Cassie Damyanovich scored led five CSUSM players in double-digits with a game-high 19 points. She grabbed seven boards and dished out a pair of assists. Heather Thompson finished with 18 while MacKenzie Harnett registered a season-high 17. Brianna Higgins came in off the bench to record her first double-double with 11 points and a game-high 10 boards.

Thompson was named the tournamen'ts Most Outstanding Player and Sherika Miller joined her on the A.I.I. All-Tournament Team.

CSUSM outrebounded LUB 47-22 and held the team with the highest field-goal percentage in NAIA DI (46.2%) to just 41.2 percent for the game. Contrastingly, the Cougars shot a season-high 53.6 percent from the floor.

The Cougars were strong out of the gate and an 11-4 run saw CSUSM grab a 23-13 advantage at the 9:52 mark.

LUB answered back with a 9-0 spurt that saw the Lynx take a 26-25 lead with 5:36 left, their first lead since it was 2-0.

The teams traded baskets their next two possessions before a 3-pointer by Cassie Damyanovich made it 34-31 in favor of the Cougars with 1:49 left.

After LUB closed within one, the Cougars beat the press with a cross-court pass to a wide-open Thompson underneath the basket. She made the easy lay-in to make it 36-33 and followed that play with a huge block at the other end that kept the Lynx from edging closer before the half-time buzzer rang with CSUSM holding a three-point lead.

CSUSM held a 25-13 rebounding edge at the break and scored nine second-chance points compared to zero for the Lynx.

 The Cougars started the second half on a 12-4 run over the first 3:04 that saw them take a 48-37 lead. Harnett accounted for six of the Cougar points.

The Lynx closed within 51-47, but Miller answered with back-to-back buckets. Damyanovich's jumper made it 61-51 with 8:36 remaining.

Stephanie Cathcart's free throw pulled the Lynx within seven, 67-60, with 5:01 left, but Higgins responded with a bucket at the other end.

Thompson's turnaround and another basket by Damyanovich gave CSUSM its biggest lead of the game, 73-60, at the 2:40 mark.

CSUSM made 7-of-10 free throws down the stretch to seal the game.

The bracket and Opening Round matchups for the NAIA National Championship will be revealed Wednesday, March 12 at 5:00 p.m. PST at NAIA.org.

Taylor James led the Lynx with 17 points. LUB drops to 21-11.