SAN DIEGO – Matching up with a tough Pacific West Conference opponent in Point Loma on Monday afternoon inside Golden Gymnasium, Academy of Art women's basketball struck back against a halftime deficit with a 31-point third quarter and found themselves only down by four with under five minutes left in regulation. In the end, despite three double-digit scoring efforts by the Urban Knights, one final push by the Sea Lions allowed the home team to win 92-79.

"At the half, we acknowledged that we were playing too passive so we came out focused on being more aggressive and purposeful in our attacks," said head coach Krystle Evans. "Moving forward, we want to start games with that aggression, focus more on converting on the offensive end when we force turnovers, and play a more consistent 40 minutes."

Scoring nine points in the first 10 minutes, junior guard/forward Lily Perkins was an offensive force for ART U early. Her back-to-back buckets helped Academy of Art bounce back from an 8-1 start by PLNU and kept the margin at three, 17-14, by the conclusion of the first quarter.

Eight unanswered points by ART U got them a 26-24 lead midway through the second as senior guard Josselyn Morris and graduate student guard Tayler Bennett 3-pointers sandwiched a jumper by junior forward Megan Jefferson. Morris later converted a three-point play, but Point Loma finished the first half on a 10-0 run to go up 38-29 at the intermission.

The difference grew as the Sea Lions began the second half with a 7-0 push, but junior guard Pam Wilmore's transition layup started a series of traded baskets before Bennett's step-back 3-pointer initiated a 13-0 run to cut the lead to 52-48. Layups by Wilmore and Perkins then began an incredible three-minute stretch in which the teams combined for 10 consecutive made baskets (six by ART U). With just four seconds left, Morris capped the Knights' 31-point quarter on a triple to keep her team within striking distance down 64-60.

Morris hit two more shots from deep on consecutive possessions early in the fourth before Jefferson's layup finished an 8-0 run to bring Academy of Art within a single point at 71-70. Point Loma did not relinquish the lead, scoring five quick points before ART U threatened again with a Perkins layup and Wilmore free throw to make it a 76-73 ballgame. A timely 7-0 run then fended off the Knights once more and though Morris' sixth triple of the afternoon cut the margin to six with 3:22 left, PLNU held on for the 92-79 win as time expired.

Returning from Southern California at 5-8 overall and 3-6 in PacWest action thus far, Academy of Art got a season-high 25 points from Perkins (two points shy of her career-high) on 11-of-19 shooting from the field. Morris added 21 points including six 3-pointers, five rebounds, and three steals while Wilmore finished with 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds.

With the victory, Point Loma's fifth at home, the Sea Lions improve to 11-4 overall and 7-2 in conference play. Double-doubles from Cara Liggins (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Carol Schroeder (18 points, 12 rebounds) led the way for PLNU.

When the Urban Knights return to the Bay Area, waiting for them will be a rematch with Dominican in San Rafael on Friday, Jan. 17 followed by Hawaii Pacific on Sunday, Jan. 19 inside Kezar Pavilion.