HONOLULU – Meeting one another for the second time in 10 days, Academy of Art women's basketball was within striking distance of No. 7 Hawaii Pacific midway through the second quarter, but a surge into halftime earned the home team an 83-59 Pacific West Conference victory. Graduate student Tayler Bennett broke out for her highest point total (21) of 2020 while junior guard Pam Wilmore added 15 points.

Bennett knocked down a triple for the Urban Knights' first points of the contest, but HPU would ride a stretch of six consecutive made baskets to hold a lead throughout the quarter. Academy of Art had answers more often than not as freshman forward Aari'yanna Sanders, Wilmore, and junior guard/forward Lily Perkins provided three consecutive layups amid that stretch.

Trailing only by five heading to the second quarter, another Bennett triple came in a 10-3 push by the Sharks to start, but Sanders converted back-to-back layups on offensive rebounds as the led was cut to six. A 7-0 HPU run ended the opening half with Hawaii Pacific building back its double-digit lead at 43-26.

Wilmore was a house of fire, scoring on three consecutive possessions out the locker room, but another 10-3 burst swung the momentum back to the Sharks. Consistent makes at the free throw line and from long range would help HPU maintain its advantage the rest of the way to the 83-59 final.

ART U drops to 6-11 overall and 4-9 in PacWest play despite 21 points and seven rebounds from Bennett as well as 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals from Wilmore. Sanders contributed an efficient 10 points with five rebounds, Perkins offered nine points off the bench, and senior guard Josselyn Morris totaled four steals.

Winning its 16th straight game, Hawaii Pacific rises to 20-1 this season and remains without a loss through 15 conference matchups thus far. A game-high 23 points plus 12 rebounds came from Abbey Noblett while Starr Rivera added 19 points.

The final stop on Academy of Art's island roadtrip will be The Big Island where the Urban Knights will face UH Hilo this Friday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m. HT (7 p.m. PT).