SAN FRANCISCO – Much like Academy of Art and Montana State Billings' two previous meetings, Friday evening's nightcap to the West Region Tip-Off Classic saw the teams separated by a single score. Although the Urban Knights went into the fourth quarter up by four, the Yellowjackets made three 3-pointers in the final period including two in a little over a minute during the later stages to eventually win 68-65.

An evenly-played opening quarter ended with a pair of triples by Alisha Breen, giving MSU Billings a 15-10 lead. Those were the first of four consecutive long-range shots she would connect on, pushing the Yellowjackets ahead 21-10 before sophomore forward Ines Medina stopped the run.

Midway through the second quarter, Medina and senior guard Jazzlynn Brewster knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a 13-0 ART U response. The run, which was aided by redshirt senior forward Pre'Franz Dominick's pair of baskets, was capped by another long ball from senior guard Hayley Pryor with Academy of Art now up 27-26. MSU Billings would continue to connect from deep and later finished the half with a basket in the final second to go ahead 37-34.

The Knights worked their way back to multiple tie scores in the third quarter and gained brief leads before its largest of the day, 57-53, on a jumper by freshman forward Camilla Simola then a last-second 3-pointer from Brewster. After the Yellowjackets stung for a quick 5-0 push to start the fourth, the lead exchanged hands, but suddenly shifted to MSUB after Vanessa Stavish nailed two triples in just under a minute and a half.

When the dust settled, the visitors were up 68-61 with two minutes and 29 seconds left, but Brewster worked her way into the paint on two occasions thereafter to cut the lead down to just three, 68-65, with a minute to go. ART U had the opportunity it needed following a missed Yellowjacket layup, but three fouls later, the Knights' final possession ended with a turnover instead of the potential game-tying shot. MSUB would hold on to win 68-65.

Although ART U did not get its final shot off, the final score continued a drama-filled history between these two teams. When the Knights first faced the Yellowjackets, it was in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament and MSUB prevailed 60-59. Then, Academy of Art got some revenge in 2015 when they defeated Montana State Billings 69-67 on Zoie Sheng's game-winning layup.

Academy of Art begins the year 0-1 and was led by Brewster's 21 points plus 10 from Medina off the bench. Senior forward Helena Orts had seven points along with a team-high seven rebounds.

Montana State Billings improves to 1-0 with the highest individual scoring output of the tournament's first day in Breen's 25 points. She was 5-for-9 from beyond the arc and added five rebounds plus five assists.

After MSUB takes on Holy Names at 1pm tomorrow, ART U will face Cal State East Bay at 3pm to conclude the West Region Classic Tip-Off. The Pioneers defeated the Hawks 71-48.