Box Score CORVALLIS, OR – The LMU Lions started the new year with a nail-biter but came up short, falling 59-56 to the Oregon State Beavers on Thursday night.

Brandi Williams led the way with 17 points, hitting 6 of 12 from the field and 4 of 10 from deep. Naudia Evans had a solid night too, putting up 16 points, grabbing five boards, and dishing out five assists. Maya Hernandez was a force inside, notching a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while junior transfer Carly Heidger added 10 points and five boards.

The game was tight from the jump. The first quarter saw four ties before Williams drained a three with five seconds left to put LMU up 17-14. In the second, the Lions came out strong with a 10-0 run sparked by a smooth turnaround jumper from Hernandez. OSU tried to chip away late in the quarter, but Williams' back-to-back buckets sent LMU into halftime with a 33-26 lead.

The third quarter was different, as the Beavers came out hot, shooting 69.2% (9-13) compared to LMU's cold 25.0% (4-16). Three lead changes kept things interesting, and OSU pulled ahead 46-43 after hitting a three in the final minutes.

The fourth quarter was a battle. OSU held the lead until LMU's 8-0 run flipped the script, giving the Lions a three-point edge. The game seesawed in the final minute, with Evans knocking down a clutch three to tie it at 56-56 with 50 seconds left. Evans shined in the final quarter, shooting 4-6 from the field and perfect from beyond the arc; but with two seconds left, a costly foul led to a made basket and a game-winning free throw for the Beavers.

The Lions will look to bounce back on Saturday when they take on the Portland Pilots at 3 PM in Portland.

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