SAN FRANCISCO – Despite shooting 60 percent from the field in a dominant first half, Academy of Art University women's basketball still needed clutch plays late to ward off Holy Names in Pacific West Conference play on Wednesday night inside Kezar Pavilion. The Urban Knights held a three-point lead with 35 seconds left, but used a big layup by senior center Caron Brown as well as a pair of free throws by senior guard Jasmin Guinn to seal the 80-74 victory.

Scoring on five of its first seven field goal attempts, ART U came out hot. However, the Hawks did as well, converting on five of their opening six shots to stay in the game despite five turnovers before the first media timeout. Transition baskets were key during the Knights' 11-3 run which featured three fastbreak layups, two by Guinn and one by senior guard Sha'Nice Storey.

Academy of Art had grown a 10-point lead at the end of one quarter and the defensive intensity only continued into the second. A 10-2 push early was fueled by junior forward D'Andree Galipeau's layup and redshirt senior guard Jasmine Rubin's 3-pointer. HNU continued to score on possessions it did not turn the ball over, but the Knights' halftime advantage was still significant, 49-37.

Easy baskets kept coming for Academy of Art to start the second half as senior guard Regina Camera and Guinn each converted two layups apiece en route to a 17-point margin. Holy Names did not let the lead expand to 20 points and on the contrary found themselves within striking distance after a 7-0 surge in the first part of the fourth quarter.

Though HNU's Jeana Magana tossed in three free throws after being fouled beyond the arc with three minutes and 33 seconds remaining, Storey immediately answered back with her own long range response. Guinn's layup briefly returned the ART U lead to double digits before a 9-2 push made it just 77-74 Knights with 35 seconds on the clock. One of two free throws from senior guard Zoie Sheng kept it a two-possession game and Guinn soon sealed the 80-74 victory after the Hawks failed to score with 18 seconds left.

ART U returns to the top of the PacWest Conference standings with the win making them 13-1 and 18-6 overall. A big part of the Knights' success early was 21 points off turnovers in the first 15 minutes. Guinn offered a game-high 23 points, six rebounds, and three steals while Camera contributed 17 points (on 8-for-8 shooting from the field), five rebounds, and five assists. Storey was the third and final Academy of Art player to score in double figures (11), Brown added nine points and eight rebounds, and Sheng dealt out four assists with three steals.

Holy Names drops to 7-16 overall and 6-9 in conference play. Both Magana and Isabelle Ayad each knocked down three 3-pointers and tied for the team-high with 17 points apiece.

With its four-game homestand now complete, Academy of Art hits the road for its next four games. First up is a trip to St. George, Utah to play Dixie State on Feb. 11 before stops in Southern California to play Concordia (Feb. 13) and Point Loma (Feb. 15).