Game #26
ART U Urban Knights (15-10, 11-6 PWC) vs. NDNU Argonauts (6-19, 4-13 PWC)
Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 12:00 PM
San Francisco, CA – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats
Live Audio
Twitter updates

HOMECOMING, SENIOR DAY FESTIVITIES COMING SATURDAY
For an Academy of Art University women's basketball squad that has won more games and had more highlights than any previous team, ART U is set to complete its 2011-12 journey on Saturday, Mar. 3. The Urban Knights match up with Notre Dame de Namur for the second time this season in a game which represents both Homecoming and Senior Day for Academy of Art.

FAN BUS SIGN UP
If you are headed to the Homecoming game this Saturday, be sure to sign up for the FAN BUS at the following link: http://bit.ly/eC8mrO - Go to Basketball and submit your information.

OPENING TIP
ART U's season finale takes place this Saturday, Mar. 3 inside Kezar Pavilion. The game is set to begin at 12:00 PM with a special Senior Day celebration prior to tipoff. Live Stats, Live Audio, and Twitter updates will be available for these games. Remember to check @UrbanKnightNews on Twitter for score updates and recaps. Also become a fan of the Knights on Facebook by 'Like'-ing the Urban Knights page.

CRUNCHING THE CAPTAINS' NUMBERS
After recently setting a new single-season record with exactly 100 free throws made, forward Alisa Griggs continues to dominate in only her sophomore year. She ranks among the top PacWest scorers (13.8 ppg – 8th) and rebounders (7.7 rpg – 7th). Senior guard Devin London, who has gone beyond the 100-steal mark in her career, remains among the PacWest leaders in that category. Her 63 steals are the second-most in the conference while she also averages 10.6 points and 2.8 assists per game. Senior guard Lorraine Etchell, a name which will be historically remembered, has scored the most points in any Urban Knight's career (828). Etchell is also contending with London (110) for the second-most total career steals (107) and needs just four more assists to move into second all-time.

KNIGHT WATCH
Academy of Art has managed to remain first in the conference in rebounds per game (45.1) as well as first in steals per game (12.3). The team is now second in blocked shots per game (4.2) and fourth in both assists per game (14.6) and in points per game (67.6). Sophomore forward Ariel Dale, one steal behind London though still averaging 2.7 steals per game, showed a variety of her talents last week when she scored a season-high 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds (nine offensive) against Hawaii Pacific. She then finished with 17 points versus Grand Canyon with 11 of those coming at the foul line in an effort which tied the program's single-game free throws made record. Junior guard Nicol Biesek has been building upon the new single-season blocks record (now at 25) which she ironically set against these same Argonauts earlier in the year. She is also tied with London for the 8th most assists per game (2.8) in the conference. Junior center Juliua Fraser, who at one point in the season blocked 10 shots through five games, also surpassed the previous single-season blocks record and now has 20 in 2011-12.

ARGOS ONCE AGAIN
When the Knights and Argonauts met earlier this season, NDNU had recently broken out of a six-game losing streak with a 58-33 win over Chaminade (Jan. 21). Though ART U would defeat Notre Dame de Namur 70-61 thanks to a balanced scoring attack and a 24-6 offensive rebounding edge, the Argos would then win again two nights later against Dominican. NDNU proceeded to head out on its Hawaii roadtrip in mid-February and fell to BYU-Hawaii (74-55) as well as Hawaii-Hilo (51-45) before topping Chaminade 66-60 in overtime. Guard Natellie Saia exploded for a career-high 22 points in that win, but the Argonauts have lost three games since including a pair to Hawaii Pacific. Currently the best free throw shooting team in the PacWest (.739), NDNU is on the other end of the spectrum in terms of steals, averaging a conference-low 6.6 per game. Although Taylor Dewees is the team's scoring leader (14.8 ppg), she has not played in a game since the Argos' second conference game so it is Emily Vore who has led the way in the interim. Vore, who averages 11.6 points per contest, has been to the line over 100 times and is shooting .823 from the stripe (3rd in PacWest). NDNU also carries with it the top conference's top rebounder in Pilar Mullins whose 10.2 rebounds per game are in large part thanks to her 165 which have come on the defensive glass. In a series which has featured six battles, the teams have split 3-3 heading into Saturday.

ART U SUSTAINS TRIO OF TOUGH LOSSES AT HOME
In Academy of Art University's return home to Kezar Pavilion, the Knights were met with three disappointing results last week as Hawaii Pacific, Hawaii-Hilo, and Grand Canyon all managed to pull off wins. Beginning with HPU on Tuesday, ART U cut into a first half deficit with a strong second period which included a 12-3 run, but the Sea Warriors wound up taking an 88-74 victory. Two nights later against Hawaii-Hilo, Academy of Art had a tough time finding an answer for the Vulcans' Hillary Hurley who posted 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. A 75-53 would be the end result in that one.

In the final game last week, the Urban Knights played a rematch against No. 17 Grand Canyon and, after the 'Lopes' tandem of Maylinn Smith and Jallisa Butler combined for 50 points and 20 rebounds, it was GCU who came out on top 67-49. The Urban Knights, already owners of the best record in program history at 15-10, will look to bounce back this Saturday against NDNU.