STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — Filipa Barros scored 22 points and Khloe Lemon added 19 as California Baptist weathered a second-half surge to defeat Tarleton State 77-67 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Wisdom Gym.

The Lancers, who led wire-to-wire, improved to 15-8 overall and 8-2 in WAC play. The Texans fell to 11-11 and 4-6.

California Baptist established control early with a blistering offensive display in the first half. The Lancers shot 54% from the field in the opening quarter, building a 21-17 lead. They extended that advantage to 44-32 by halftime, thanks in large part to a 23-point second quarter. Barros, the junior guard from Portugal, was the catalyst, scoring 13 of her points before the break, while Lemon connected on three first-half three-pointers.

The most important part of the game came in the third quarter when Tarleton State mounted a serious challenge. The Texans, fueled by a swarming defense that forced eight California Baptist turnovers in the period, outscored the Lancers 21-14. A 9-2 run, capped by a Jakoriah Long three-pointer, cut the deficit to 53-50 with just over a minute left in the third. The Texans’ defense disrupted the Lancers’ rhythm, and the home crowd of 837 energized the comeback bid.

However, California Baptist’s composure and execution in the final quarter proved decisive. Leading 58-53 to start the fourth, the Lancers methodically rebuilt their lead. They committed only two turnovers in the final period and shot 50% from the field. When Tarleton State closed to within 63-59 on an Elodie Lutbert jumper with five minutes remaining, the Lancers responded with a critical 8-0 run over the next two minutes. The spurt included a floating jumper by Barros, a pull-up from Lauren Olsen, and a layup from Olsen off an Emma Johansson assist, pushing the lead back to 71-59 and effectively sealing the game.

Barros finished her 38-minute night efficiently, shooting 8 of 14 from the field and adding two assists. Lemon’s 19 points came on 6-of-13 shooting, including 4 of 9 from beyond the arc. Olsen provided crucial support with 15 points, scoring nine in the fourth quarter to help stave off the Texans’ rally.

Tarleton State was led by Long’s 16 points. Lutbert, the 6-foot-6 center from Martinique, recorded a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Caroline Lyles also scored 15 points, and Gia Adams added 12 points and three assists.

Statistically, California Baptist’s efficiency outweighed Tarleton State’s hustle. The Lancers posted an offensive rating of 96.8 points per 100 possessions, compared to the Texans’ 85.7. California Baptist shot 45.8% from the field and made 14 of 18 free throws. Tarleton State, despite winning the rebounding battle 40-33 and grabbing 10 offensive boards, shot just 37.7% from the floor. The Texans also committed 14 turnovers, which the Lancers converted into 12 points.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for California Baptist, which defeated Tarleton State 80-68 in Riverside on Jan. 3. The Lancers will look to continue their conference success on the road at Abilene Christian on Saturday. Tarleton State aims to rebound at home against Southern Utah, also on Saturday.