Box Score

Photo Gallery (images by Rob Garcia)

Honolulu, HI – Academy of Art University women's basketball 4, Hawaii 0.

The fourth and final game for ART U on the Hawaiian islands may have been the toughest, but the Urban Knights prevailed 81-78 in overtime against Hawaii Pacific inside Neal Blaisdell Center on Monday evening. A complete team effort in the victory, five ART U players scored in double figures, led by 16 points apiece for PacWest Player of the Week Alisa Griggs and senior guard Lorraine Etchell. Junior forward Ariel Dale had 15 points and 15 rebounds (the fourth-most in a single game in program history). The 2011-12 women's basketball team becomes the first Academy of Art athletics team to be perfect in one Hawaii roadtrip.

"I thought it was huge that we pulled out the win in overtime on the road with it being our fourth game on the trip," head coach LaNay Larson said. "The momentum shifted when we let HPU back in the game and that's a hard thing to reverse. We really had to grind this one out. I thought we did a good job taking care of the ball and converting free throws in that extra period."

Like Saturday night's contest against BYU-Hawaii, junior guard Jordan Rogers was a source of offense early for ART U. She had seven of the team's first 10 points and was on fire from distance with two 3-pointers in that span. The Academy of Art long range game was not only working for Rogers in the opening minutes as junior guard Nicol Biesek knocked down a triple after assisting one of Rogers' baskets. From down 13-7, the Knights initiated a 23-7 burst to not only tie the game, but also take a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the half.

The final portion of that run included an 11-2 push sparked by a Griggs jumper and another triple from Rogers. Dale's basket at the 6:05 mark put ART U up by 10, 30-20, but the Knights were not yet through. While HPU struggled to make its free throws, Academy of Art reeled off 10 unanswered points highlighted by a dish from senior guard Devin London to Biesek for three.

In addition to their offensive success, the Urban Knights were also benefactors of a Hawaii Pacific team who struggled from the foul line throughout the game. The Sea Warriors were 2-of-9 at the line in the first half and 23.7 percent in the game. However, late baskets by HPU made ART U's lead 11 at the half, 40-29.

It was a shootout to begin the second as Hawaii Pacific made two 3-pointers and Etchell drained one for the Knights all in the first two minutes. Thwarting several Sea Warrior comeback attempts, ART U had four Urban Knights score in double figures with 15 minutes still left in regulation. Academy of Art's lead hovered around 10 until midway through the period when Hawaii Pacific used a 12-3 run to battle back and cut the margin down to just a single point, 60-59, with 4:27 remaining.

Free throws became the story from there. The Urban Knights made smart decisions and went on a 7-0 run with Biesek and London combining for five foul shots made. Rogers had ART U up eight after her layup with 2:30 to go, but the Sea Warriors responded with their backs against the wall. The Pacific West Conference's leading scorer Mana Hopkins started off the comeback and Melody Ladrido dropped two 3-pointers, including one with nine seconds left, to send the game into overtime tied 70-70.

In overtime, Hawaii Pacific tested Academy of Art University's ability to make clutch free throws and the Knights held their cool under pressure. Griggs got ART U going early with a layup off an assist by Biesek, then Dale knocked down two at the line. After HPU went up two, 76-74, Etchell converted a critical three-point play to give Academy of Art the lead again, shifting the momentum back to ART U. The game would be tied twice more, but in the end, Dale and Etchell combined to make the final three free throws, lifting the Knights to their 81-78 victory.

"Being in the conference for six years now, I can appreciate what an accomplishment it is to go [to Hawaii] and sweep the islands," Coach Larson said. "I'm so proud of the girls and how they stayed focused and persevered through fatigue and injuries. They showed a lot of character this past week and played with a lot of confidence."

After four players scored in double figures the two previous games, it was five Urban Knights who reached that mark Monday night. Griggs had her fifth double-double of the season (16 points, 10 rebounds) while Etchell also posted 16 points, including a 6-of-7 night at the foul line. Dale had another impressive game off the bench in which she achieved season-highs of 15 points and 15 rebounds. The rebound mark becomes the fourth all-time for a single game in ART U history, one behind Jessica Nolan's 16 last season against Holy Names.

"Ariel gave us a huge game from a scoring standpoint and she was a beast on the boards," Coach Larson said. "She is that spark off the bench that has won us more than just this game. I love her energy and the way it's infectious with our team."

Bisesek turned in 14 points, five assists, and her second consecutive four-steal game. Rogers, who knocked down three 3-pointers in the early going, finished with 12 points and six rebounds. ART U continues to move up in the conference standings, now fourth at 9-6 overall, 5-2 in PacWest play.

"I love the balance on the offensive end," Coach Larson said. "Anytime you have five players score in double figures, scoring inside and out, it makes you really tough to guard."

Leading the way for Hawaii Pacific was Hopkins who had a game-high 28 points (12-for-21 FG) and four rebounds. She was supported by Ladrido's 18 points (4-for-5 3PT) and Taiyande Huskey's eight points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. The Sea Warriors are now 9-4 overall, 3-2 in the PacWest.

Though their Hawaii roadtrip may be complete, the Urban Knights' next two games feature rematches with BYU-Hawaii (Jan. 21) and Chaminade (Jan. 23). If you are an Academy of Art University student, be sure to sign up for fan buses to both games at Fan Bus Central: http://bit.ly/eC8mrO