CLAREMONT, CA — The Leopards went on a 6-0 run late to tie the game 74-74 with 41 seconds to play and had a shot at the basket to take the lead in the final moments of Monday night's game.

But the Leopards' final shot fell short and the Ottawa (Ariz.) Spirit's Alexis Smith sank a three-pointer as time expired to edge the University of La Verne women's basketball team 77-74. 

Clarissa Perez finished with a game-high 29 points including 5-9 shooting from beyond the arc, moving her average to 21.7 points per game. The junior added six rebounds and four steals. 

Kayla Chism added a season-high 14 points in the effort on fifty percent shooting from the field and while grabbing six rebounds.

Trailing by six with a minute left to play, the Leopards put themselves in position to win. After grabbing a defensive rebound, Perez went end to end and finished with a layup to put the score at 74-70. Perez then poked the ball loose before the Spirit could cross midcourt, and found an open Alexa Withers who scored off the glass to cut the deficit to two.

Sierra Nabors then came up big defensively coming up with a steal of her own. Perez then muscled her way inside and finished from the block to tie the game 74-74.

The Leopards forced one more turnover giving themselves an opportunity to take the lead, but Nyjeeiah Ganan's shot with 16 seconds to play fell short.

Withers finished with seven points and four rebounds. Ganan added six points and five rebounds off the bench.

Smith led Ottawa with 25 points.

Season Impact: La Verne drops to 1-5 while Ottawa improves to 2-9.

Next Game: The Leopards get back into action tomorrow night when they play La Sierra University at 7 p.m. at Pomona-Pitzer's Rain Center.

Click Below for directions to Pomona-Pitzer