INDIANA, Pa. -- No. 15 Anderson University stayed perfect in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament with a 62-50 victory over Fairmont State at the Memorial Fieldhouse Friday afternoon. Anderson, 28-3 overall, is now 5-0 all-time in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The loss ends Fairmont State's season at 25-7. "It was a terrific effort by our team," said Anderson head coach Jeff Dow. "We got behind 9-0 and did a great job of responding. In the second half, we played great defense, and we made a lot of hustle plays." Anderson was led by freshman Alexa Neal, who came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points, including six free throws in the final minute to seal the victory. "I just try and give somebody a break and do my part," Neal said about her performance. Anderson fell behind 9-0 in the first four minutes of the game but rallied to take a 12-11 lead at the 12:58 mark. A three-point play by Genia Holbrook with 8:06 left in the half gave Anderson a 23-17 lead. Fairmont State bounced back with an 8-0 run to take a 25-23 lead at the 6:41 mark. Ashley Vavrek scored five points during the run. A layup by Whitney Ketner with seven seconds left gave Anderson a 33-29 lead at the break. Anderson never reliquished the lead in the second half. The Lady Trojans' lead stayed in the four- to six-point range most of the second half. A layup by Molly Kiger cut the Anderson lead to 49-46 with 4:42 left, but then Neal responded with her biggest basket of the game -- a trey from the right corner -- to push the Anderson lead back to 52-46. Fairmont State got within four points one more time before Anderson pushed its lead into double digits late with Neal's free throw shooting. "We did a great job of changing defenses," Dow said. "Our extended zone pressure was the best it has been all season. Our players did a great job of executing the defensive game plan." Neal, a freshman from Greensboro, N.C., made three 3-point goals and also had five steals, three rebounds, and two assists. Keana Boyd added 12 points, and Latrice Thomas chipped in 10 for Anderson. "It was a physical game, but a little contact never hurt anybody," Thomas said. Fairmont State had just one player in double figures -- Molly Kiger with 12 points. Anderson was 17-for-29 from the line, while Fairmont State was 8-for-9. "We did a great job of creating pressure," Dow said. "We earned all 29 of those free throws." Both teams struggled from the field. Fairmont State shot 36 percent, while Anderson managed just 33 percent. Fairmont State won the boards, 40-39, but Anderson's Nikki Anthony was the game's leading rebounder with 13. Anderson's defense forced 20 Fairmont State turnovers. Anderson committed just 11 turnovers. Boyd and Thomas both had four assists apiece for Anderson. Anderson advances to face California (Pa.), a 70-54 winner over Millersville in the first game of the day, Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Anderson beat California in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, 61-57. "Cal is a different animal," Dow said. "They want to play 94 feet. They're a solid team with five new starters this year. They have excellent guards. We will be facing more pressure." a href=http://www2.ac.edu/faculty/Athletics/WBB031408.pdf>Box: Anderson 62, Fairmont State 50 Anderson University Women's Basketball Statistics