OAKLAND, Calif. – Never trailing and holding a double-digit lead for the game's final 21 minutes, Academy of Art women's basketball held Holy Names to just 41 points on 28.6 percent shooting in Saturday's 67-41 victory inside the Hawks' Tobin Gymnasium. Freshman forward/center Christy Ojide was 7-of-7 from the field with her second consecutive double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) and redshirt freshman Kaila Murrell added a season-high 13 points (including three 3-pointers) as the Urban Knights secured their fourth consecutive Pacific West Conference win.

Five quick points from freshman guard Alyssa Munn opened the contest then tandem scoring by Ojide and Murrell built a 9-2 advantage midway through the first quarter. Free throws and high-percentage looks kept the margin at seven points, 17-10, through the frame's end before another Munn triple began the second.

Freshman guard Brooke Rodgers put in five points during an 8-1 surge for a 28-13 lead just above the four-minute mark, but HNU responded with six unanswered to return the difference to single digits. Academy of Art would close the half strong as freshman forward/center Alisha Wilson converted back-to-back layups then junior guard Chanel Stuart hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds to get ART U its largest lead of the afternoon at 35-19 heading into halftime.

Triples by Murrell and Stuart highlighted the end of a 12-3 push in the third which resulted in 21-point margin as the Knights held the Hawks to 10 points in the quarter, making it three straight at that figure or less. Freshman guard Milan Tuttle swiped two steals in the first minute of the fourth and, though the ART U advantage dropped back to 15 thereafter, four consecutive layups by Ojide over a two-minute span late contributed to the 67-41 victory.

"Milan and Kaila did a great of elevating our defensive intensity and their energy was contagious," said Head Coach Krystle Evans. "Playing with that level of intensity for 40 minutes led to one of our best defensive outings of the year."

The squad's fourth win in its last five games rises ART U's record to 7-5 overall and 4-1 in PacWest action. Ojide's perfect 7-of-7 performance from the floor (one shy of Regina Camera's program record 8-of-8 on Feb. 16, 2016) yielded a season-high 14 points and came along with 10 rebounds. Murrell finished with 13 points to tie her career-high and, in addition to her 11 points, Stuart's five thefts upped her steals streak to now seven straight games with three or more (four with four or more).

Wilson came off the bench to grab a game-high 12 rebounds and score eight points while Rodgers stuffed the stat sheet once again with seven points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. As a team, the Knights matched their season-best of 16 assists which came in their first game versus Cal State Monterey Bay.

"One of our goals for 2022 is to average double-digit assists," Evans said. "The last two games we have done a great job of making the extra pass and playing for each other."

Holy Names remains winless on the season at 0-11 overall and 0-3 in conference play. Jaiden Key ended with 12 points and nine rebounds to lead the way for the Hawks.

Academy of Art will be in Hawaii next week on a three-part roadtrip that includes matchups with UH Hilo (Jan. 13), Hawaii Pacific (Jan. 15), and Chaminade (Jan. 17).

"This is great momentum going into Hawaii," Evans said. "Hilo is playing extremely well, HPU has championship DNA, and Chaminade plays very well at home so it's nice to go into next week with extra confidence."