SAN FRANCISCO – In the most highly-anticipated game of the season thus far, Academy of Art and No. 4 California Baptist battled one another for possession of the top spot in the Pacific West Conference standings. ART U led after one quarter of play, but a scoring drought in the second quarter shifted momentum to the Lancers. Though the Urban Knights fought back to within seven points multiple times in the final frame, CBU held on for the 79-70 victory on Tuesday night inside Kezar Pavilion.
After honoring head coach
LaNay Larson on her 100th win with the program in a pre-game ceremony, the Knights tipped off this clash of PacWest Conference Tournament-bound teams. The Lancers made their first three shots to quickly gain a 7-0 advantage, but eight points from senior guard
Jasmin Guinn helped ART U stay close. Academy of Art captured its first lead late in the opening quarter on senior guard
Regina Camera's 3-pointer then a jumper by senior guard
Zoie Sheng put her squad up 18-14 through one.
A Camera layup came early in the second quarter, however, the Knights missed their next 13 shots while California Baptist proceeded to execute a 16-1 run. Junior forward
D'Andree Galipeau finally ended the stretch with a layup, but it meant the visitors would lead 35-23 at halftime.
ART U made five of its first eight shots to start the second half, working the margin down to seven points, 43-36, midway through on a jumper by sophomore guard
Desiree Harris. The CBU response was 9-3 into the final seconds of the quarter before Sheng drew a foul with 0:02 on the clock and cut the lead down heading into the fourth.
Layups by Camera and junior guard
Jasmine Rubin worked Academy of Art back to within seven yet another push, this one 16-8, moved the Lancers ahead by 15 points. A long-range attack featuring 3-pointers made by Guinn, Sheng, and senior guard
Sha'Nice Storey soon brought the Knights to seven once more with just over a minute left. The foul strategy did not bear fruit down the stretch as CBU remained efficient from start to finish in its 79-70 win.
Academy of Art is now third in the PacWest standings with a 17-2 record while 22-7 overall. Guinn finished with her 12th double-double of the season by way of 18 points and 11 rebounds while Camera added 14 points and nine rebounds. Sheng also posted 14 points along with seven rebounds and five assists.
California Baptist improves to 25-1 this season with a 17-1 conference record. Shooting 50 percent from the field in the second half helped Courtney Nelson end the day with a game-high 25 points while Megan Frerer offered a 15-rebound, 12-point double-double. The PacWest's leading scorer Cassidy Mihalko wound up well below her average with 11 points.
The Urban Knights' final regular season game comes this Saturday, Feb. 27 at SF State's Main Gymnasium where ART U will host Notre Dame de Namur for a 1 p.m. Senior Day matchup. Prior to tipoff, Academy of Art University's seven seniors,
Alex Washington,
Vianai Austin,
Caron Brown,
Zoie Sheng,
Jasmin Guinn,
Sha'Nice Storey, and
Regina Camera will be honored with a Senior Day ceremony.
