INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – It was only fitting that the game was played in Independence, Mo. The Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team played its final game as an independent Wednesday night, falling to Freed-Hardeman 64-54 in the First Round of the 2015 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship, presented by Susan G. Komen® Greater Kansas City.
 
The next time the Cougars take the court, they will be playing as members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. But Wednesday night was about one more chance at NAIA glory and the Cougars nearly pulled it off against overall top-seeded FHU.
 
The Cougars conclude their 2014-15 season with a .500 overall record (16-16) after taking a five-game win streak into the national championship tournament.

"Very proud of the way our team came out, fought and represented our university tonight," said CSUSM interim head coach Crystal Harris. "Freed-Hardeman is a good time and we were right there with them for most of the game. We proved we should be here and on this stage." 
 
Senior Heather Thompson paced CSUSM with 16 points and four blocked shots. Seniors Mackenzie Harnett and Kimberly Kipp each added 13 and 10 points, respectively. Senior Cassie Damyanovich recorded a team-high eight rebounds while dishing out six assists. Sophomore Crystal Hicks also pushed out six assists. 
 
The Cougars battled back from a 10-point deficit in the first half with a 14-4 run to even the game at 25 on a Thompson layup from outside the free throw line. Harnett's drive to the basket puts CSUSM up 27-25 with one minute remaining. After two FHU baskets, Kipp made good on a post move at the end of the first half to make it 31-29 Lions.
 
CSUSM opened the second half with a cold spell as the Lions rattled off 14 unanswered points. An old-fashioned 3-point play by Kipp broke the ice, but the damage was already done.
 
Grace Alonso de Armino, a 2014 NAIA All-American, led the Lions with 19 points and 16 rebounds. Paige Melville added 17 points.
 
The Cougars will say goodbye to five seniors this season. Damyanovich, Harnett, Thompson and Alex Alvarado are the program's first four-year graduating class.  Kipp was a junior college transfer. 
 
FHU advances to face Benedictine (Kan.) at 10:30 a.m. (PT) on Friday morning. BU held on to a 63-61 victory over Wiley (Texas) in the First Round.