Game #18
ART U Urban Knights (4-13, 3-8 PacWest) vs. No. 21 Azusa Pacific Cougars (18-3, 12-0 PacWest)
Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 5:15 p.m.
Azusa Calif. – Felix Event Center
Live Stats | Live Video

Game #19
ART U Urban Knights (4-13, 3-8 PacWest) vs. Point Loma Sea Lions (11-9, 7-5 PacWest)
Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 3 p.m.
San Diego – Golden Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRIP BRINGS APU REMATCH, FIRST MEETING WITH PLNU
Making its way to down to the southern part of the state for the third time this season, Academy of Art women's basketball matches up with No. 21 Azusa Pacific and Point Loma over a three-day span as Pacific West Conference play begins in the month of February.

TIP-OFF
ART U will cover the Los Angeles and San Diego areas of California on its upcoming road trip as the first stop will be Felix Event Center on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 5:15 p.m. to face APU. Two days later on Saturday, Feb. 3, Academy of Art meets PLNU for the first time this season inside Golden Gymnasium at 3 p.m. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Showing its hustle and defensive prowess, Academy of Art remains among the PacWest's top four in both blocks (2.9) and steals per game (9.1). After scoring in double figures in eight of her last nine games, sophomore guard Alba Rovira Ayuso remains second in the conference at 13.9 points per contest as well as third in 3-pointers made per game (1.7). Meanwhile, coming off one of the most complete stat lines to date versus Concordia (16 points, eight rebounds, six steals, five assists), freshman guard Lucia Revenga has sole possession of the top spot in the PacWest at 2.5 steals per game.

The tandem of junior forward/center Christy Ojide (6.4) and junior forward Yasmine Sifaoui (6.3) are now both inside the conference's top 11 in rebounds per game while also being found among the top nine in blocks per contest at 0.9 and 0.8 respectively. Less than 10 rebounds from breaking into the ART U career top 10, Ojide continues to approach the program's career blocks record (76) with 72 to date.

Three triples in back-to-back games versus UH Hilo and Dominican helped keep freshman guard Maddie Morrow at 1.8 made per contest (second in PacWest) this season while her .326 three-point field goal percentage leads the team.

CHALLENGING THE COUGARS
When No. 21 Azusa Pacific previously met ART U on Dec. 7, it was the start of the Cougars' 12-game undefeated streak to open PacWest play (including a sweep in Hawaii most recently) and part of a greater 14-game win streak approaching the upcoming rematch. Outscoring opponents by an +18.6 margin since conference action began, APU currently leads the PacWest in a host of statistical categories including points per game (72.6), rebounds per game (41.8), assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.15), assists per game (16.5), and steals per game (10.7). The PacWest's scoring leader, Kelly Heimburger (15.2 points per game), resides on Azusa Pacific along with two others inside the top seven including Amayah Kirkman (13.0) and Paige Uyehara (12.3), the latter of whom also ranks first in free throw percentage (.842), assists per game (4.5), and assist-to-turnover ratio (+2.0). The historical matchup favors APU 15-3 versus Academy of Art.

GETTING TO THE POINT
After starting the season 2-4, Point Loma heated up nearing the beginning of PacWest play as the Sea Lions won four straight and six of seven with only a four-point loss to Azusa Pacific coming in that span. Since January, PLNU has gone 4-4 with multiple losses to Biola coming before a three-part sweep in Hawaii. Point Loma paces the PacWest in field goal percentage (.434) and sits third in points per game (68.7) as Tavia Rowell's 12.9 points per contest (fifth) lead the way. Other contributors include Ellie Turk, whose 4.0 assists per game are third in the conference, Eiley Tippins, who checks in at third with 1.8 blocks per contest, and former Urban Knight Alyssa Munn, who is second in steals per game (2.3). The Sea Lions swept the season series with ART U last year, giving them a narrow 11-9 advantage all-time.

WOMEN'S HOOPS FIGHTS BACK IN THIRD QUARTER, CUI HOLDS ON
In the Pacific West Conference rematch pitting Academy of Art women's basketball against Concordia inside Kezar Pavilion on Jan. 25, the Urban Knights worked their way back from a 15-point halftime deficit, using two separate 7-0 runs in the third quarter to make it a one-possession game before the Golden Eagles closed strong, prevailing 81-60.

LOOKING AHEAD
A four-part homestand is next for ART U as the Knights will host Westmont from Laney College Gym in Oakland on Feb. 8 at 5 p.m.