SAN FRANCISCO – All even through three quarters of Pacific West Conference play, Academy of Art women's basketball and Fresno Pacific saw their matchup's momentum move to the visitors' side with a 9-2 run in the waning minutes of regulation that ultimately resulted in FPU's 66-57 win inside Kezar Pavilion on Friday night. The trio of senior forward/center Christy Ojide Boiko, senior forward Yasmine Sifaoui, and freshman forward Keira Mitchell combined for 35 points and 14 rebounds in the tough back-and-forth battle.

The Urban Knights started the game on fire with a game-opening layup by sophomore guard Anna Fornells being followed by two consecutive triples from Sifaoui and redshirt freshman guard Karereatua Williams. Up 10-2, ART U would face an 11-2 response by the Sunbirds that had the score at 13-12 in favor of Fresno Pacific heading to the second quarter.

Though FPU led by as many as seven in that frame, layups by sophomore guard Lucia Revenga, Sifaoui, and Ojide Boiko fueled an 8-2 finish to the opening half as just a single point separated the teams at the break. That surge became 12-2 with two more easy buckets from Ojide Boiko and Revenga to start the third quarter and the sides proceeded to fight through seven ensuing ties with the final 44-44 deadlock coming in the last two seconds of the quarter.

"I give the team a lot of credit as they came in very prepared during the middle of final exams," said Head Coach Jesse Clark. "Our message throughout the game was to stay with our preparation."

High percentage scores from Revenga and Mitchell helped Academy of Art build a 48-44 advantage two minutes into the fourth, but the score would retie on three more occasions thereafter. A quick 5-0 burst from 54-54 was countered by Fornells' free throws yet seven of the final eight points ended up belonging to FPU in what became a 66-57 final.

"The team showed a willingness to work for each other for 40 difficult minutes against Fresno Pacific," Revenga said. "I think that if we continue to work offensively and maintain our momentum on the defensive end, we will return to winning these tight competitions."

ART U shifts to 6-4 on the season and 0-3 in PacWest action with the evening's result though Ojide Boiko and Sifaoui had 15 points apiece while shooting .875 (7-for-8) and .500 (6-for-12) from the field respectively. Revenga provided 10 points plus two blocks while Mitchell grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go with five points and two steals.

"Once again Christy and Yasmine were excellent and led the way for us as our two veterans should do," Clark said. "Our young group will keep working and we will be better next time out."

Fresno Pacific, now also 6-4 overall and 2-1 in conference play, got 15 points from Breanna Hurt.

In just over one week, the Urban Knights will be back inside Kezar Pavilion to wrap up the calendar year with another PacWest contest hosting Chaminade at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21.