Box Score
Arcata, CA – In day two of the CCAA/PacWest Challenge at Humboldt State University, the Academy of Art University's women's basketball team faced CSU East Bay Sunday afternoon. After coming off a devastating loss just hours before, the Knights dug deep and came out attacking, eager for a win. ART U took an early lead and kept control of the game throughout. The Urban Knights played well, using a team effort to come away with the win by a final score of 66-56.
“We bounced back from our heartbreaker and played steady,” said Head Coach Lindsey Yamasaki. “I was most proud of our team for staying engaged on and off the court and supplying the attitude that we needed. This weekend was a balanced effort.”
ART U wasted little time in the game, and scored first on a free throw by Nicole DeRosier. The point was followed by a 4-0 run by the CSUEB Pioneers, who then took their first and only lead in the game. A layup by Verity Peets brought the Knights back to within one. The Pioneers added a few more baskets, trying to pull away with their small lead, but the Urban Knights then went on an 8-0 run propelled by a 3-pointer by DeRosier, her first of many throughout the contest.
With the lead the women now had, the Knights pulled together and never looked back. They headed into the locker room at halftime with a fifteen point lead, 39-24.
CSUEB came out with a few points of their own at the start of the second, putting them the closest they would come to catching the Knights in the half. ART U then continued on their hot streak and ran away with the lead. After a team effort, the Knights came away with a big 10-point victory over the Pioneers.
“This win was extremely important for our morale,” said Coach Yamasaki. “We have competed and lead in every game we've played, but have not finished and held our opponents down. This win adds to our confidence, proving that we can win down the stretch.”
The show was stolen by ART U's DeRosier as she had a very impressive performance. She recorded six 3-pointers in the contest, tying the program high for 3-pointers in a single game. The record was originally set by Caprice Hall at Chaminade in 2009. DeRosier also finished with a team-high 21 points and landed over fifty percent of her field goals.
Also doing well for the Knights was Peets who came away with 16 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. Peets also went 4-of-5 from the free throw line. In addition, Devin London stood out with 10 points and two 3-pointers.
“Nicole stepped up and hit some big shots, and Devin stayed aggressive. Verity and Jess also gave us a strong performance. We expect a lot from them as seniors and we counted on them to own the glass,” said Coach Yamasaki.
For the Pioneers, Lauren Lucchesi led the team by posting a team-high 15 points and landed two 3-pointers. Claudia Nelson led the team defensively finishing with six rebounds, three which were defensive. Nelson also put up seven points in the game. As a team, East Bay shot 71 percent from the line.
After the win, the Academy of Art University's record improves to 2-6 overall, while Cal State East Bay's record falls to 0-8 overall. The Knights now get a couple of weeks off before returning with a big game against the University of San Francisco on December 29th. The matchup against USF will be held at USF's War Memorial Gym with tipoff scheduled for 7:00pm.
“It's nice to go into a tough game with a win under our belt. USF will no doubt be a challenge for us. The next week of practice followed by a nice break will be good for us. We can focus on where we need to improve and get our minds right,” added Yamasaki.
