CSUSM scored on the first possession of the game, but trailed for the next 38:07 until the 2:00 mark of the second half when Tony Freeland tied the game with two free throws. Okugo's two shots with 56 seconds remaining put the Cougars on top, and Arizona Christian couldn't convert on five shots in the final minute. Sharif Watson of ACU missed a pair of put-backs prior to the final horn.
The Cougars (30-3) advance to the quarterfinals where they will face No. 6-seed Dalton State (Ga.) (29-4) on Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. PT (10:30 a.m. CT). It marks the second-consecutive season in which CSUSM has advanced to the quarterfinal round.
ACU's season ends at 25-9 overall.
"This is the most resilient team I have been around. They [CSUSM] are incredible fighters and it was a great win for us," said CSUSM head coach Jim Saia. "The one thing about this team is that we have been down so many times this year. We have a tough schedule because we play on the road."
Blake Nash led all scorers with 17 points and Julian Camper notched 13 points and nine rebounds. Freeland pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds in addition to two steals and a blocked shot. Dayton Boddie added nine points.
The Firestorm led by as many as 14 points on two different occasions in the first half. A 3-pointer by Okugo in the final seconds of the first half cut Arizona Christian's lead to 41-30.
ACU shot 45.5 percent (15-of-33) in the opening 20 minutes, but a strong Cougar defense held the Firestorm to just 14.7 percent (5-of-34) in the second half that included 10-consecutive misses from beyond the 3-point line. CSUSM improved on its 33.3 (11-of-33) field goal shooting with 45.8 (11-of-24) shooting in the second half.
CSUSM gradually cut away the Firestorm's lead as ACU struggled from the field. ACU's Mike Navar hit a jumper that made it 55-48 for the Firestorm with 9:47 to play, but it would be the final field goal of the game for ACU.
A Declan Daly steal resulted in a Nash reverse lay-up that made it 55-53. The Cougars wouldn't score for nearly three minutes, but limited ACU to just a trio of three throws that pushed its lead to 58-53 at the 5:34 mark.
A fade away jumper by Camper and a Freeland layup pulled the Cougars within 58-57. ACU's Jackson Helms then hit 1-of-2 free shots to make it 59-57 with 2:12 remaining – the last time ACU would score.
Freeland was fouled by Bobby Gray on the next possession before sinking a pair of free throws to even the game at 59.
The Firestorm came up empty and Boddie was fouled with 26 seconds left. With a chance to make the game two possessions, Boddie instead missed both to give ACU another opportunity to tie or take the lead.
Gray drove to the tin, but his shot attempt was blocked by Daly. Nash corralled the rebound and was fouled with 14 seconds left.
Nash couldn't convert either of his free shots, once again giving ACU a chance to tie or take the lead.
Gray drove right and threw a shot up on the rim. Watson grabbed the rebound, missed a put-back, and then could not convert on a tip. His third try was good, but the ball left his hand after the buzzer sounded.
CSUSM shot 20-percent (2-of-10) from the charity stripe in the second stanza and 43.75-percent (7-of-16) for the contest."
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