Box Score

Photo Gallery (images by Rob Garcia)

Hilo, HI -- With its offense flowing in the second period, Academy of Art University women's basketball started off its Hawaii roadtrip with a 58-46 victory over Hawaii-Hilo Monday evening inside UHH Gymnasium. The Knights used two 7-0 separate runs to get ahead and stay there, outscoring the Vulcans by 36-23 in the second. Junior forward Ariel Dale had her best game in an ART U uniform, scoring a season-high 13 points in addition to six rebounds, four assists, and four steals off the bench. Senior guard Devin London added 13 points as well and grabbed seven rebounds including six on the offensive glass, the most by any Urban Knight this year.

“We knew this was a huge game not only because it was our first of a tough four game road trip but also because Hawaii-Hilo was undefeated in conference and playing with a lot of confidence,” head coach LaNay Larson said. “I was waiting for us to turn the corner in the second half so it was nice to put a run together.”

The teams traded baskets in the early going as a Vulcan triple was answered by senior guard Lorraine Etchell's trey to make it 5-5. Dale then came off the bench to provide spirited defensive play was on display after she notched three steals in first eight minutes. However, a 12-2 run by Hawaii-Hilo created a margin for the home team.

London, however, stopped the surge with a determined score following an offensive rebound, one of her four in the first period. Though the Vulcans led by eight at one point, Knights closed the first half on an 11-4 run, cutting UHH's advantage to a single point, 23-22, at the intermission. London posted seven points during the push.

Early in the second, London was at it again. The Oak Park, IL native grabbed another offensive rebound and put it back to tie the score 24-24, capping a 13-5 Academy of Art run over the two halves. Defense led to offense on the subsequent possession as a block by London resulted in a transition basket for Etchell to tie it again at 26-26. Though UHH's Hillary Hurley put the Vulcans up 28-26, back-to-back jumpers by Dale and junior guard Nicol Biesek were part of a 7-0 run which had the Knights' offense working once again to retake the lead.

Now up 33-28 with 12:34 left, ART U was in danger of losing its margin, but 7-0 burst which saw junior guard Jordan Rogers nail a jumper and a 3-pointer resulted in a new 42-33 advantage. A minute later, Dale knocked down a pair of free throws and then found London for a jumper which gave ART U its largest lead of the night to that point, 46-37, with 7:48 to play. After going up by 11 at the four minute mark, the Urban Knights finished out the game with a double-digit advantage. They would prevail 58-46 at the conclusion.

“Jordan had some key baskets during that stretch and I thought Ariel was the difference maker in this game,” Coach Larson said. “She made some big plays on both ends of the court which was great to see from her. As she has gotten healthy, we have seen more and more of the athlete we knew was there when we recruited her.”


Now at 6-6 overall this season and 2-2 in PacWest play, Academy of Art was led by Dale's statsheet-stuffing performance. In 23 productive minutes off the bench, Dale scored 13 points (5-of-5 from the foul line), grabbed six rebounds, dealt out four assists, and notched four steals. The 13 points were a career-high, topping her previous mark of 10 versus Humboldt State. The trio of sophomore forward Alisa Griggs, Biesek, and Rogers also had a solid night, combining for 23 points, 17 rebounds, and seven steals. London contributed 13 points of her own on 6-for-12 shooting in addition to pulling down seven rebounds.

“Devin has been very consistent this year and she seems to add the little things that we need each game,” Coach Larson said. “Offensive rebounds were something we emphasized and she did a great job of crashing the boards.”

It was the Hillary Hurley show for Hawaii-Hilo Monday night. The senior scored 18 points (6-of-9 from the floor) and grabbed seven rebounds. Shannon Rousseau, who knocked down two early 3-pointers, wound up with just eight points as the next highest scoring Vulcan. UHH, undefeated in PacWest play until this loss, drops to 6-6 overall, 3-1 in the PacWest.

Continuing to their next island, Oahu, Academy of Art women's basketball is scheduled to take on Chaminade this Wednesday, Jan. 11. The teams tip off at 5:00 PM HST (7:00 PM PST).