WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Ashley Piper of Cedar Rapids helped Colorado Christian University win a national basketball title Saturday.

Piper scored nine points and collected five assists as Colorado Christian topped Cedarville, 62-44, in the championship game of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I tournament.

Colorado Christian entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed with a 14-16 record, but the Cougars collected three straight upsets to win national honors.

Piper, a 5-foot-9 guard from Cedar Rapids Washington, scored five points as Colorado Christian defeated No. 1 seed California Baptist, 67-56, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Piper scored three points as the Cougars upended No. 5 seed Grace College, 66-53, in the semifinals on Thursday on the Grace College home court. The Cougars finished their string of impressive victories by conquering No. 2 seed Cedarville (Ohio).

Colorado Christian began the week with a 20-hour bus ride from Colorado to Indiana, then turned around and went home after winning the first national title in school history in any sport.

Piper averaged 6.1 points this season as a freshman.