AZUSA PACIFIC -- Cal State LA's women's basketball team put up a tremendous fight against No. 1 seed Azusa Pacific on Friday night in an NCAA Division II West Regional quarterfinal in the Felix Events Center.

The No. 8 seed Golden Eagles took a lead early in the third quarter and trailed by just two points with one minute to play, but came up short to the Cougars, 66-60. Cal State LA (17-13) reached the NCAA playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history and just missed picking up what would have been Cal State LA's first-ever NCAA Tournament win.

Azusa Pacific (29-3) won its 25th straight game and is undefeated since dropping a 79-75 decision to the Golden Eagles in Azusa on Nov. 21. 

Cal State LA had a chance to snap the Cougars' streak, but just couldn't get over the hump down the stretch.

Lily Buggs had 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead Cal State LA, while Alicia Jones had nine points and Amaya Fuentes had eight points and eight rebounds. Buggs recorded her ninth double-double of the season.

Amayah Kirkman had 22 points to lead the Cougars, while Paige Uyehara had 13 points and Kelly Heimburger had 11 points and six rebounds.

Olivia Hodges had nine points and seven rebounds, while Donja Payne had seven points. Nicole Flennaugh had five points and hit the last 3-pointer of her remarkable Cal State LA career. That 3-pointer puts her program and California Collegiate Athletic Association record total to 320.

Cal State LA  shot just 31.3 percent and never could get into a consistent rhythm. The Golden Eagles were just 3-of-19 in the first quarter and 3-of-17 in the third quarter. The Golden Eagles were also just 6-of-24 from 3-point range and 12-of-20 from the free-throw line.

Azusa Pacific only shot 38.1 percent against an inspired Cal State LA defense. The Cougars were 5-of-20 from 3-point range and 13-of-19 from the free-throw line. Cal State LA had a 49-41 rebounding edge and committed 17 turnovers to 13 for the Cougars.

Cal State LA fell behind by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, 25-11, but roared back to tie the game by halftime, 35-35. Sofia Fidelus had a three-point play followed by a 3-pointer to get the Golden Eagles to within 28-21 and Cal State LA got the last five points of the half on a jumper by Jones and a 3-pointer by Fuentes to tie it.

A free throw by Buggs to open the third quarter gave the Golden Eagles their first lead since early in the first quarter and a jumper by Gabriella Rones gave the Golden Eagles their last lead at 38-37. Azusa Pacific responded with an 8-0 run and held off repeated challenges by the Golden Eagles.

Rones hit a 3-pointer to stop the run and Cal State LA got five straight points from Payne to pull to within 49-47. The Cougars took a 51-47 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Buggs hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter to pull the Golden Eagles to within one at 51-50, but Azusa Pacific scored the next eight points to extend the lead to nine. Back-to-back layups by Hodges and a pair of free throws by Flennaugh made it 62-60 with 1:34 to go.

Cal State LA, though, came up empty down the stretch and the Cougars scored the final four points of the contest.