Box Score

San Francisco, CA ---The Academy of Art women dropped a heart breaker to the defending PacWest Champions, Grand Canyon University, tonight at Kezar Pavilion, 70-62. The Urban Knights controlled for a majority of the time, but Grand Canyon broke the game's eighth tie with 6:41 left in the second half and went on to win its sixth straight game, while AAU suffered it's third loss in a row. Jessica Nolan led the charge for the Urban Knights as she finished with her second double-double of the season, 19 points and 11 rebounds.

After their first conference win the Urban Knights have dropped their last three matches. But to the young squads credit each game has been a hard fought battle. Tonight was no different, as AAU held their own against the undefeated [in conference] Antelopes, who were the 2008-2009 PacWest champions. The Urban Knights scored the first points of the game and never gave up the lead. AAU was up on the defending champs by as many as eight points before going into the locker room up two, 30-28.

After the half the Urban Knights tried to maintain their intensity but turnovers and fouls cost them the game down the stretch. The Lopes took their first lead of the game just 20 seconds into the half.  The game would remain close until the score was tied, 47-47, and then GCU took their final lead of the game. The Urban Knighst would get to within one, 51-50, with 5:54 to go, but back-to-back GCU buckets put them ahead for good.

The Urban Knights were able to keep Junior guard Samantha Murphy below her average, but she led  the Antelopes with 17 points. Junior  Katie Johnson chipped in with 14 points on 7-for-10 shooting. While PacWest player of the week Junior Kia Gibson added 13 points in the Lopes victory. GCU is now 11-5 overall and remains undefeated in the PacWest.

Jessica Nolan finished with a game high 19 points and 11 rebounds which is just one shy of her season high. Lorraine Etchell contributed 12 points one steal and one block. The Urban Knights, as a team, out shot the Lopes in all categories; finishing with a shooting percentage of 46% over the Lopes 41%, AAU was 45% from behind the arc while GCU shot 31%, and the Urban Knights were 84.6% from the line and Grand Canyon finished at 84.2%.

The Urban Knights play their final home game against Domincan University on Saturday Jan. 23 before heading to Hawaii. Game time is set for 5:30 PM at Kezar Pavilion.