SAN FRANCISCO – Though Academy of Art women's basketball led for nearly the entire first 33 minutes of its season-opening contest against Cal State Monterey Bay, the last frame turned into a back-and-forth battle that featured two ties and seven lead changes. Ultimately, steals by CSUMB in the final minutes helped the Otters snatch the victory from ART U by a 61-59 final, despite a double-double from sophomore forward/center Alisha Wilson and sophomore guard Jadence Clifton's game-high 17 points leading three Knights in double-digit scoring to start the SF State Gator Invitational.

The Urban Knights sprinted out to an early nine-point lead on the heels of an 11-2 run to open the ballgame with layups from freshman guard Kyla Wandick, sophomore forward/center Christy Ojide, and Clifton out of the gate, followed by a trio of free throws from Clifton (the first as part of a three-point play with a layup). A 3-pointer sandwiched by a pair of buckets from Cal State Monterey Bay quickly reduced the gap down to two points, but ART U was able to hold the lead and finished the first 10 minutes up by four. 

A slow second quarter saw each team score only nine points, but watched CSUMB come within one point of tying the game after a three-ball from Maya Rush. Responding quickly, the Urban Knights cut off the building CSUMB momentum with a layup from junior guard Ashana Hinds, while a pair of free throws from senior guard Lauryn Manns sent both teams into the half. 

Picking up where she left off, Manns notched the first bucket of the second half with a layup, one that would prove crucial as the Otters once again came with a single point after a shot from beyond the arc and a fastbreak layup. Much like they did in the second quarter, the Urban Knights tried to stop the comeback, this time doing so with a couple baskets from Hinds and Wilson. That same duo would twice give ART U an eight-point lead during the third, the last coming from Wilson with only one minute and 36 seconds left in the frame, but could not push the lead to double-digits as CSUMB answered the scoring.  

Three consecutive made baskets early in the fourth quarter helped Academy of Art maintain a five-point difference, but two straight 3-pointers allowed the Otters their first advantage in the contest. A Clifton triple and the first long range score in Ojide's career kept the back-and-forth action going and, after Clifton locked the score at 59-59 with a layup, it was anyone's game. Both sides could not convert on their ensuing possessions before a steal and a score put CSUMB ahead 61-59. The Knights had two opportunities to tie or take the lead thereafter but both ended up as steals for their opponent, leaving the score intact.

ART U drops to 0-1 this season though three Knights scored in double figures led by Clifton's 17 points (5-for-6 from the field, 6-for-7 from the free throw line). Wilson provided a double-double in the form of 13 points (6-for-8 from the field) and 10 rebounds while Ojide contributed 10 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. Five different student-athletes logged two or more assists led by three apiece from Clifton and Wandick.

Cal State Monterey Bay, 1-0 to start the season, also had three players score in double figures with Gigi Israel's 15 points (all 3-pointers) pacing the team.

A little over 24 hours after its first game of the year, Academy of Art will tip off against tournament host SF State on Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. back inside the Gators' Main Gymnasium.