IRVINE, Calif. — In its first-ever PacWest Conference Tournament final, No. 19-ranked California Baptist University had to push through challenges in the second half. The Lancers fought through the adversity but fell 84-79 to No. 23 BYU-Hawaii Saturday night.
 
CBU falls to 24-6, while the Seasiders improve to 24-5 and secure an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament.
 
Gelaun Wheelwright led three Lancers in double figures, finishing the night with 25 points (8-for-21). Taj Spencer followed with 16 points (7-for-11) and Michael Smith added 13 points (6-for-9). Wheelwright and Spencer were also named to the All-PacWest Tournament team for their efforts over the past three days.
 
CBU opened on a 6-2 run by draining two threes, including a deep shot from Wheelwright, but BYUH evened the score line at 10-10 at the first media timeout.
 
Another look from beyond the arc from Wheelwright, followed by one from Eividas Petrulis, kept the Lancers in front 16-10. Eric Nelson kept the run going strong, slamming in a two-handed dunk to make it 18-10 before the Seasiders could stop the scoring spree.
 
BYUH managed to take a one-point lead at 32-31, but a jumper from Ryan Berg put the Lancers back in front. Jordan Giusti extended the lead by driving to the basket through traffic and banking it in off the glass, 35-32. The Seasiders cut it again to one point, putting the two teams into the locker rooms with CBU in front, 35-34.
 
After finding themselves trailing by 14, 53-39, with just under 14 minutes left to play, the Lancers looked to clean up their ball handling and limit the amount of turnovers. There was still plenty of time to shift momentum back in its favor as Nelson tipped a ball in off the rim to end BYUH's run.
 
Momentum shifted as the clock approached the 10-minute mark. Spencer showed his strength at the post to drive past the Seasiders' big man and lay it up to close the gap at 56-51, forcing a BYUH timeout with just under nine minutes to go.
 
Wheelwright followed up on his own rebound and finished a triple from the corner to put the Lancers within three, 63-60, but the Seasiders responded with a three of their own to go back in front by two possessions heading down the stretch.
 
Spencer finished two shots at the line to bring the Lancers back within five, 68-63, but BYUH hit two free throws to put pressure on CBU in the remaining two minutes and 40 seconds.
 
As the Seasiders tried to inbound off a CBU basket, Smith stole the ball away and drove to lay it in to put the Lancers within 78-74. BYUH finished chances at the line to go back in front by six. Wheelwright sliced the margin in half with a deep three as CBU called a timeout with 10.1 seconds remaining in the game.
 
The shots didn't fall in the final seconds, giving BYUH the 84-79 win.
 
CBU will wait to see where it finishes — as the No. 1 seed with hosting responsibilities or a lower seed traveling for the first round of the NCAA Division II tournament — in the region on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. PST here.