OAKLAND — No. 24-ranked California Baptist University came out Saturday looking to take care of the things it could control and not worry about what it couldn't. It came down to overtime, but the Lancers pulled it out for a thrilling 79-78 victory over Holy Names.
 
The Lancers close out the regular season with a conference-best 24-6 overall record and first-place 15-5 PacWest mark, tied with Concordia University of Irvine, Dixie State and Azusa Pacific. CBU heads into postseason with momentum on its tail after picking up its sixth-straight win. The Hawks finish the season 4-24, 3-17 in conference.
 
Michael Smith led four Lancers in double figures with 18 points (8-for-15) and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Kalidou Diouf (7-for-10) and Gelaun Wheelwright followed with 17 points each, while Jordan Giusti added 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting. He grabbed a double-double with 10 rebounds, while Trevone Williams led CBU with 11 boards.
 
HNU scored the first points of the night, but CBU responded with a 12-0 run to take a 12-2 lead early. Wheelwright initiated the spurt by draining a deep three. Smith capped the run by banking in a shot off a Williams assist.
 
Realizing the Hawks were going to make it tough on them, the Lancers had to battle for the remaining minutes of the half. With the score tied at 17-17, Diouf posted up to keep his team in front, 19-17. Giusti and Smith also drove to the basket to make it 23-17 with eight and a half minutes before the big break.
 
Diouf put in a floater shot to give CBU a 10-point lead with about three minutes left in the first, but HNU fought to stay with the visitors. Smith drove to the basket in the final minute of the frame to give his team a 41-35 cushion at halftime.
 
The Hawks came out with a chip on their shoulder in the second half and cut the score within one, 43-42.
 
Smith started to create some distance for his team with two layups to put CBU up 51-45 five minutes into the second half.
 
Still, the Hawks weren't going to let the Lancers run away with it just yet. HNU hit some crucial three-pointers to keep the game within reach, but CBU always had a response to not let the home team grab too much momentum.
 
Diouf helped the Lancers grab a much-needed stop by blocking a Hawk layup and then banked in a shot off the glass on the other end of the court. CBU kept HNU from getting clean looks at the rim, while coming up big with the defensive rebounds, 65-61.
 
With less than four minutes to play, HNU took the lead, 68-65, but Smith drove hard to the basket and drew a foul as he laid it in. He finished his and-one chance, tying the game back up at 68-68.
 
Williams finished two free throws to put his team back in front with only about 40 seconds remaining on the clock. HNU tied it at 70-70 as the shot clock turned off.
 
CBU called its final timeout and made its way down the court, but as the ball was tipped out of bounds, it was called to last touch a Lancer. It gave HNU possession with just 1.6 seconds remaining in regulation. The Hawks couldn't get their desperation shot to fall, sending the game into overtime.
 
Wheelwright hit a big three and followed with a two-point bucket to give CBU an early 75-70 lead in the extra period.
 
The Hawks kept it interesting and tied it up at 78-78 with just about a minute left in the frame. Wheelwright drew a foul with 3.4 seconds left on the clock and made the first of his two free throws. HNU sprinted up the court to try for the buzzer-beater, but it bounced off the glass and off the iron to give CBU the 79-78 victory.
 
The Lancers will have to wait to see how the rest of the games Saturday night finish to see what their seeding will be for the PacWest tournament next weekend in Irvine, Calif.