Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO – In a rollercoaster ride of a game, ART U Women's Basketball went up early, fell behind to start the second half, fought back to have a chance to take a lead in the waning seconds, but ultimately dropped a 72-68 decision to BYU-Hawaii on Saturday night inside Kezar Pavilion.
Hot out of the gate, Academy of Art got several high-percentage shots to start including three layups by senior guard
Molly O'Brien and one by junior guard
Sha'Nice Storey. The Urban Knights were up by nine in the first five minutes then led 16-5 on a jumper by junior guard
Jasmin Guinn.
That advantage remained double digits until an eight plus-minute scoring drought allowed the Seasiders to come back and eventually take a lead. A quick 8-0 run capped by Storey's triple helped ART U regain a four-point advantage, but BYUH answered back with a long ball of its own and the halftime score was a precarious 29-28 Knights lead.
BYU-Hawaii rose back ahead by eight in the first four minutes of the second half as Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo opened with a triple. However, 3-pointers from Storey and Guinn soon brought it back to a one-point game, 41-40, with 14 minutes and 45 seconds left. A 7-0 Academy of Art run ensued with junior center
Caron Brown going strong to the rim on two consecutive trips down court. The result was a four-point ART U advantage midway through the period.
That margin would hold up until a 7-0 push by the visitors gave them a three-point lead with 4:31 left to play. Senior guard
Madeline Martin found Brown down low for a layup, but it was amid what became a 13-2 Seasiders surge. Up seven with 2:27 on the clock, BYU-Hawaii witnessed a swift response by the Knights that included O'Brien free throws then a fastbreak layup by Storey after Brown's steal with 56 seconds left.
At that point, BYUH led only by two, 70-68, and proceeded to turn the ball over via an offensive foul. In a bit of déjà vu from the Hawaii Pacific game, Storey found herself in the corner to take a 3-pointer, but it did not fall and, while the Knights maintained possession, their next inbound pass was fumbled and stolen away by the Seasiders. Two Tatupu-Leopolodo free throws essentially sealed the 72-68 victory from there.
Now 11-8 on the year and 6-5 in conference play, ART U had four players score in double figures including Storey (17 points), Guinn (16 points), O'Brien (11 points), and Brown (11 points). All four had six rebounds each while Guinn added a four assists and Brown finished with a season-high four blocks.
The Seasiders improve to 12-5 overall and 9-2 in PacWest play. Tatupu-Leopoldo led the way with 19 points as four players scored in double figures.
Academy of Art will have a week until its next PacWest Conference matchup. The Knights play host to Dixie State on Saturday, Jan. 31 back inside Kezar Pavilion.
