OAKLAND, Calif. – In its inaugural game of 2022 and first Pacific West Conference rematch of the season, Academy of Art women's basketball impressed on both ends of the court, matching its highest scoring mark and holding Point Loma to the lowest field goal percentage among the Urban Knights' conference opponents thus far (.343) in a 70-61 win. Junior guard Chanel Stuart's 16 points plus significant contributions in every other stat category led six ART U competitors with nine or more points inside Holy Names' Tobin Gymnasium on Thursday.

With her team trailing by one midway through the first quarter, redshirt freshman guard Kaila Murrell proceeded to knock down 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to build a 16-10 lead. That margin became eight by the first frame's end as multiple steals by freshman guard Alyssa Munn helped Academy of Art convert layups by freshman forward/center Christy Ojide on the other end.

Stuart's triple and Munn's score on an offensive rebound from Murrell equated a 9-0 ART U run spanning the end of the first and start of the second quarters for a 27-14 advantage. Eight straight from the Sea Lions brought the visitors back, but they were soon met with Murrell's fourth 3-pointer of the game some 16 minutes in. Though PLNU ended the half with nine unanswered, the Knights still carried a 32-31 lead into the intermission.

Wasting no time in getting its offense going, Academy of Art began the third quarter with layups from Ojide and Stuart followed by a jumper from junior guard Lauryn Manns for a 6-0 surge. A Stuart triple soon started an 8-0 push entirely on her scoring hands, but another strong finish had Point Loma back within five points heading to the fourth.

Conversions by Manns and freshman guard Brooke Rodgers kept ART U on top in the first portion of the last quarter before PLNU resorted to fouling to force the Knights to win the game at the foul line. There it was Ojide, Manns, Rodgers, and Munn who all knocked down pairs over the final four and a half minutes to fend off the visitors hope of a comeback, ending with the 70-61 victory.

"We are starting to do a better job of controlling the tempo and managing the game," said Head Coach Krystle Evans. "Early in the season, our shot selection led to us relinquishing leads, recently we've done a better job maintaining leads because we are doing a better job with our shot selection."

Academy of Art moves up to second in the conference standings with a 3-1 PacWest record as part of the squad's 6-5 overall mark. In addition to her team-high 16 points (including three 3-pointers), Stuart pushed her current streak of games with three or more steals to six (three straight with four) while adding five rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Along with 12 points from Manns, Ojide's first double-double in a Knights uniform saw her produce season-highs of both 12 points and 15 rebounds while Murrell scored all 12 of her points (including four 3-pointers) in the first half. Munn and Rodgers had nine points apiece and contributed in various categories, combining for 13 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and three blocks.

"Going into today's game our focus was on 'quality over quantity,'" Evans said. "Everyone across the country is in the same position we are in, so instead of focusing on numbers, we chose to focus what we can control and that's our effort, attitude, and mental toughness. Christy and Kaila stepped up huge today and put us in a position to win."

With losses now in four of its last five contests, Point Loma sits at 7-6 on the season and 2-4 in conference play. Cara Liggins offered a game-high 17 points plus eight rebounds to lead the way.

"We have to stay consistent with our aggressive mentality," Evans said. "Regardless of who we play and what numbers we have, we must commit to defending and being relentless on both sides of the ball."

With its game this Saturday against Concordia postponed due to PacWest health and safety protocols, ART U will now play Holy Names back inside Tobin Gymnasium in Oakland on Jan. 8 beginning at 1 p.m. This will take the place of the Feb. 11 game originally scheduled to be played in Oakland.