FRESNO, Calif. -- After limiting #1 seed and No. 13 Azusa Pacific to just eight points in the second quarter and leading 22-20 in the first half, #3 seed Academy of Art women's basketball could not overcome the Cougars' third quarter run in the Pacific West Conference Championship Tournament final. Working their way back from a double-digit deficit, the Urban Knights trailed by just four points with over three minutes left in regulation, but the end result was a 60-49 win for APU despite 30 ART U bench points and a double-double from freshman forward/center Christy Ojide.

Though the teams combined for nine shots in the first three minutes, the score remained a scoreless tie until an Azusa Pacific layup came just under the seven-minute mark. Junior guard Lauryn Manns and Ojide had the first two makes for Academy of Art shortly thereafter, but the Cougars led 12-6 after one quarter in which they were held to 25 percent shooting from the field despite coming into the contest averaging over 45 percent and nearly 78 points per game.

Azusa Pacific's potent offense began with two layups in the first to minutes of the second quarter to force a double-digit advantage only to see that quickly evaporate as redshirt freshman guard Kaila Murrell's 3-pointer sparked 14-0 run that also included a three-point play from Ojide and a jumper from freshman guard Milan Tuttle. On its way to a 20-16 lead, ART U limited the Cougars nine missed shots and five turnovers in that near seven-minute span. The Knights led 22-20 at halftime after APU scored just eight points in the quarter.

Triples from both sides caused the lead to be exchanged to start the third, but that gave way to a 13-1 push by Azusa Pacific, resulting in their 36-26 advantage. A putback from freshman forward/center Alisha Wilson and Murrell's third 3-pointer of the contest in the last two minutes kept the margin at single digits moving to the fourth where that tandem again put buckets in to make it just 42-37 APU. The Cougars hit two dagger triples each time the game approached a single possession difference down the stretch then, with just over a minute left, a five-point game became the eventual 60-49 score by way of a layup and free throws. Azusa Pacific's 60 points and .355 field goal percentage were both its third-fewest this season.

Now 18-10 overall this season, the Urban Knights were led by 15 points apiece from Murrell and Wilson with the latter adding six rebounds. Ojide's fifth double-double of the season saw her score 11 points and grab 14 rebounds in addition to two blocked shots. Tuttle and junior guard Chanel Stuart were named to the All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the contest.

Winners of their second PacWest Tournament Championship, Azusa Pacific rises to 24-3 overall with the victory. Tournament MVP Kayla Shaw finished with 17 points while teammates Laura Pranger, Paige Uyehara, and Alex Lowden joined her on the All-Tournament Team.

Academy of Art will now await the announcement of the eight teams who will compete in the West Regional rounds of the NCAA Tournament to be determined in the Selection Show tomorrow at 7 p.m. PT. You can find the live stream here.