Game #18
ART U Urban Knights (12-5, 7-0 PWC) vs. UH Hilo Vulcans (2-8, 2-3 PWC)
Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 5 p.m. HT (7 p.m. PT)
Hilo, Hawaii – Afook-Chinen Civic Center
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio

Game #19
ART U Urban Knights (12-5, 7-0 PWC) vs. Hawaii Pacific Sharks (8-5, 5-1 PWC)
Saturday, January 16, 2016 at 1 p.m. HT (3 p.m. PT)
Honolulu – Neal S. Blaisdell Center
Live Stats & Video

ART U MEETS VULCANS ON HILO, REMATCHES WITH HPU
Now one of two undefeated teams in Pacific West Conference play at 7-0, Academy of Art University women's basketball puts its win streak on the line in the team's annual Hawaii roadtrip this week. UH Hilo and Hawaii Pacific will get their respective first and second look at an Urban Knights team that currently ranks sixth in NCAA Division II in turnover margin.

OPENING TIP
The  Knights' 2016 Hawaii roadtrip begins on the Big Island with a 5 p.m. HT (7 p.m. PT) tipoff against UH Hilo inside Afook-Chinen Civic Center on Thursday, Jan. 14. That will be followed by a Saturday, Jan. 16 rematch at Hawaii Pacific set to begin at 1 p.m. HT (3 p.m. PT) inside Neal S. Blaisdell Center. Live coverage will be available via the links above. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights on Twitter & Instagram and "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Defense continues to be paramount to ART U's success in 2015-16 as the Urban Knights' turnover margin (8.00) is more than double the next closest team in the PacWest - Azusa Pacific (3.79). After averaging 14.1 steals per game in their seven-game win streak, Academy of Art ranks eighth in the country in total steals (191) and 17th in scoring offense (78.6 points per game). Second-time PacWest Defender of the Week coming into this roadtrip, senior guard Jasmin Guinn is the NCAA Division II leader in total steals (65), third in steals per game (3.82), and top 23 in points per game (19.4). She has 3+ steals in 13 of 17 games thus far and, on five occasions, she has amassed 6+ steals in a contest this season. The Berkeley, Calif. native also leads the Knights in rebounding (7.8 rpg) which has her eighth in the PacWest.

Doing her best Draymond Green impression, senior guard Regina Camera averaged 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.3 steals through three games last week. Senior guards Zoie Sheng (15.8 ppg) and Sha'Nice Storey (11.4 ppg) add to a dynamic offensive threat for Academy of Art that now has all four Knights among the PacWest's top 21 scorers. Additionally, Sheng paces Academy of Art with 4.7 assists per game (fourth in PacWest, 28th in NCAA DII) while Camera ranks 16th in the country in total steals (42) and is tied for the third-most steals per game in the PacWest (2.5).

OF THE VULCAN VARIETY
UH Hilo began the season 0-6, but has since picked up two PacWest wins in its past four games. The Vulcans topped BYU-Hawaii 72-61 to end the 2015 calendar year then trumped Concordia Irvine 68-63 on Jan. 7. Though the Big Island residents are averaging 52.5 points per game (last in PacWest), their leading scorer Kim Schmelz (13.9 ppg) currently ranks 15th in the conference. After edging the Vulcans 59-55 last season (a game that saw 28 points from Jasmin Guinn), the Knights moved to 5-5 all-time against UH Hilo historically.
 
SHARK WEEK
One of the hottest teams in the PacWest through the first two games of its mainland roadtrip, Hawaii Pacific ended up seeing Academy of Art break its six-game win streak for the Sharks' first conference loss to date. HPU now remains on the islands for its next five games (four at home) and begins by hosting Dominican on Jan. 14 prior to the Jan. 16 matchup with ART U. Though the Urban Knights dropped 81 points on them in the win, Hawaii Pacific is still the PacWest's top defensive team, allowing just 60.1 points per game to opponents. Averaging 21.2 points in six conference games and offering a game-high 23 points on Jan. 9 in San Francisco, Breanna Mackenzie is the team's top scorer (17.1 ppg) while Aminata Cole, who posted a 18-point, 13-rebound double-double, is the Sharks' best rebounder at 8.0 rpg one spot ahead of Guinn. After falling to ART U one week prior, Hawaii Pacific now carries an 8-5 all-time record against the Knights.

ACADEMY OF ART TOPS HPU, REMAINS UNDEFEATED
Jan. 9 featured a clash of two teams undefeated in Pacific West Conference play and, when the dust finally settled, it was Academy of Art University who stood tall after topping Hawaii Pacific 81-68. Up one at halftime after trailing by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, ART U built upon its comeback with a 14-3 run to bridge the third and fourth quarters. The Urban Knights offered a balanced offensive attack with Sheng (18), Guinn (17), and Camera (14) all scoring in double figures.

LOOKING AHEAD
Academy of Art continues its roadtrip with a contest at BYU-Hawaii on Tuesday, Jan. 19 then returns home from Hawaii to start a four-game homestand with Azusa Pacific on Jan. 23.