SAN FRANCISCO – Matching up with one of the toughest defenses in the Pacific West Conference on Thursday inside Kezar Pavilion, Academy of Art women's basketball bounced back from a first half deficit, but could not overcome No. 17 Azusa Pacific despite outscoring the Cougars by 19 in the third and fourth quarters. Major contributors in the 78-67 final, graduate student guard Tayler Bennett broke the program's single-game scoring record with 39 points (including nine 3-pointers to tie senior guard Josselyn Morris' record set in the previous game) and junior guard Pam Wilmore broke ART U's single-game assist record with 15.

"The second half we played fast, fierce, and much more focused," said head coach Krystle Evans. "We were more intentional with our attacks and got back to our theme of 'grit and grind.' It showed that we have not seen our best basketball yet but are on the right track."

Out of the gate, APU used a 17-0 run to gain an initial advantage, but Wilmore found Bennett twice for baskets in the opening quarter and the margin was 26-9 at the end of one. Bennett provided much of the offense in the second quarter, but Azusa Pacific remained strong and went into the halftime locker room up 50-20 despite a layup by sophomore guard Chanel Stuart in the final minute.

Seven 3-pointers fell for Academy of Art in the third quarter alone as a Bennett triple sparked a 19-4 run that saw her connect for three more in just a four-minute span. The long-range barrage more than halved the halftime deficit, bringing the Urban Knights to within 14 at 58-44.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Wilmore found Bennett on consecutive possessions and the five unanswered had ART U only down 68-55 with a little under six minutes to play. The Cougars clutched tight to their double-digit advantage for the next three and a half minutes, but it became in jeopardy when Wilmore found Bennett and Morris for back-to-back 3-pointers to make it an 11-point game with 1:41 left on the clock. Bennett broke Jasmin Guinn's 2015 scoring record with that triple, but she added to it with a layup that put Wilmore past Jazzlynn Brewster's 2017 assist record in the final minute as time ran out on the comeback and APU prevailed 78-67.

The afternoon's result put Academy of Art at 4-5 overall and 2-3 in PacWest. Exploding for 27 points in the second half alone, Bennett turned in the program's top scoring performance to date with 39 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor (14-of-28) plus a 9-of-15 day from long range to tie Morris for the single-game record. She added four rebounds and three steals in 38 minutes of action.

"Tayler is the most efficient player I have ever coached," said Evans. "Like Pam, she is extremely selfless and at times does not take enough shots. Her work ethic, coachability, and love for the game is refreshing and I am truly grateful to have the honor to coach her."

Playing one more minute than Bennett at 39, Wilmore posted 15 assists (12 in the second half alone) while adding nine rebounds and three steals.

"Pam has been doing a tremendous job getting paint touches, finding gaps, and setting her teammates up," said Evans. "I've watched her do that since she was in high school. When she was recruited here, I told her my goal was for her to break the assist record. You won't ever meet a more selfless person on or off the court. I knew she would do it, but I did not realize it would only take her nine games."

Azusa Pacific rose to 10-3 on the year and 4-3 in conference play after getting a team-high 16 points from Daylee Hanson plus double-doubles from Laura Pranger (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Savanna Hanson (10 points, 12 rebounds).

ART U will complete its current four-game homestand this Saturday with a 1 p.m. tipoff hosting Concordia (Calif.) back inside Kezar Pavilion.