Game #5
ART U Urban Knights (4-0) vs. Northwest Nazarene Crusaders (3-0)
Friday, November 23, 2012 at 6:00 PM MT (5:00 PM PT)
Nampa, ID – Johnson Sports Center
Live Stats & Live Audio

Game #6
ART U Urban Knights (4-0) vs. Central Washington Wildcats  (3-0)
Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 4:00 PM MT (3:00 PM PT)
Nampa, ID – Johnson Sports Center
Live Stats

ACADEMY OF ART CARRYING MOMENTUM INTO IDAHO
After sweeping two CCAA opponents to start the season, Urban Knights women's basketball handled the Alaska Nanooks and Nebraska Kearney in their recent home-opening weekend to move to 4-0. Academy of Art University now travels to Idaho to put its streak on the line against two other undefeated opponents in the Fairfield Inn Classic, a Thanksgiving weekend tournament hosted by Northwest Nazarene.

OPENING TIP
Starting off the Fairfield Inn Classic, ART U is set to face host Northwest Nazarene on Friday, Nov. 23 at 6:00 PM MT (5:00 PM PT). The following afternoon, Nov. 24, the Urban Knights will meet Central Washington for the third time in program history with a 4:00 PM MT (3:00 PM PT) tip-off. All games will be held inside Johnson Sports Center in Nampa, ID and live coverage will be available (see above). Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights on Twitter and "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Defense into offense has been the name of the game for ART U thus far in 2012-13. Increasing their points off turnovers differential to 134-68 with the two victories last week, the Urban Knights have done much of their damage in the first halves, averaging over 20 points off turnovers during those starting periods. Pacific West Conference Player of the Week senior Ariel Dale in Academy of Art's most recent stretch, but the unselfish Knights have seen production up and down the roster. Dale's 14.0 points per game currently paces an ART U team with four players averaging double figures in scoring. She leads the PacWest with a 4.0 steals per game average to go with 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Freshman Regina Camera captured a PacWest Weekly Fantastic 15 honor this past week and averages 10.0 points as well as 2.0 three-pointers made per game. Senior Jordan Rogers is putting up 12.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while consistent play from freshman Sha'Nice Storey after her breakout collegiate debut (22 points) has her at 12.5 points per game. Senior Katy Wade is close to averaging a double-double with 8.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.

ADORNED IN THE USA
The Urban Knights' hot start to the 2012-13 season was nationally recognized with Tuesday's release of the USA TODAY Sports Division II Top 25 women's basketball poll as determined by the USA Sports board of coaches, 33 members of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Appearing on the poll for the first time in program history, Academy of Art University found itself ahead of PacWest Conference member Dixie State College, Grand Valley State, and four others. ART U has never trailed through four games this season.

CRUSADERS CRUISING
Through three games this season, Northwest Nazarene has yet to taste defeat. The Crusaders matched up with new PacWest member Fresno Pacific in Fresno twice to start the year and won both, 80-67 and 85-62. Five NNU players scored in double figures in the opener and three reached that plateau in the second with junior Chelsie Luke scoring 17 points on both occasions. In the second contest, it was junior Megan Hingston, however, who posted the game-high of 21 points. Still on the road for its third game, Northwest Nazarene was locked in a much closer battle with The College of Idaho, only barely outlasting a Coyote comeback in the second half to win 65-62. Three Crusaders are currently averaging double figures in scoring including Luke (17.0 ppg), Hingston (14.7 ppg), and junior Veronika Skokankova (10.5 ppg). The Knights and Crusaders have never met previously.

'CATS RUNNING WILD
Like Northwest Nazarene, Central Washington also sports a 3-0 record, but none of the three final scores have been close. As part of the Sodexo Tip-Off Classic (women's side) in Seattle, WA, CWU topped Western State by 30 points, 71-41, then defeated Illinois Springfield 65-53. Junior Ally Schmitt led the Wildcats in scoring through both of those games, putting in 14 of her game-high 24 points at the free throw line versus Illinois Springfield. In Central Washington's home opener, freshman Hannah Shine scored 14 points off the bench to vault CWU over Northwest 89-52. Much like ART U, the Wildcats have gotten ahead early (126-72 first half scoring differential) and Schmitt's 15.7 points per game (18-of-18 FT) have contributed mightily to that. Academy of Art and Central Washington have met twice historically with CWU holding a 2-0 advantage.

ART U STAYS UNDEFEATED AFTER 2-0 OPENING HOMESTAND
Maintaining an incredible streak of never trailing through its first four games, Academy of Art University posted a pair of victories this past weekend at Kezar Pavilion. On Nov. 16, ART U used a 20-5 run midway through the opening period to establish a new program record for points in a half (56) and finish off a comfortable 91-71 win over the Alaska Nanooks. Powered by a boisterous home crowd, the Knights transformed 29 Alaska turnovers into 28 points and had five players score in double figures.

Two days later against Nebraska Kearney (Nov. 18), Academy of Art started hot once again and pushed across a 16-point lead in a first half that featured eight of nine Urban Knights on the scoreboard. After Camera led the way in the opening period, Dale took charge in the second as ART U never relinquished its double-digit lead for the final 18 minutes of the contest, winning 72-62 in the end.

LOOKING AHEAD
A week-long break from competition will take ART U through the end of November as PacWest Conference play arrives on Dec. 1 with a game at Bay Area rival Notre Dame de Namur. It will be a quick turn-around from there, however, as the Urban Knights travel to Cal State Monterey Bay on Dec. 5 then see Holy Names back at Kezar Pavilion on Dec. 8.