Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Boosted by 26 bench points and two starters scoring 20+ points apiece, ART U Women's Basketball downed UC San Diego, host of the UCSD Thanksgiving Classic, 84-74 on Friday evening. Juniors Krystal Forthan (22 points) and Zoie Sheng (20 points) led the way in a 47-point second half by the Urban Knights.

"The second half saw us play our game in spurts," head coach LaNay Larson said. "We were more aggressive on defense and getting out and running the floor offensively. I thought Zoie was huge in the second half especially down the stretch. She was very composed and hit her free throws."

ART U executed an 9-3 run in the early going, but an 7-4 response by the Tritons eventually had the score 16-14 with the Knights on top. Just one basket was scored over the next three minutes and 30 seconds, a span that included a two-minute scoring drought by both sides, but senior Molly O'Brien ended that stretch with a 3-pointer.

The teams were tied four times from that moment on, finding themselves knotted 30-30 on a triple from junior Zoie Sheng. It was a 34-34 deadlock approaching the final minute before Sheng struck again with another from long range to give Academy of Art its 37-34 halftime advantage.

Forthan hit back-to-back jumpers to start the second half, but it was still a one-point game at the 13:47 mark. A 15-3 Knights run ensued which included nine unanswered to start on a three-point play from redshirt junior Vianai Austin and powered by consecutive O'Brien layups. When the dust finally settled, ART U was up 62-51, but UC San Diego worked its way back to within three points at 73-70 with 1:42 left.

Maintaining its advantage despite initial struggles at the foul line, ART U got layups from O'Brien and Forthan in the final two minutes then relied on free throw production. Junior Regina Camera, Sheng, and junior Sha'Nice Storey tacked on free throws down the stretch to close out the game with Academy of Art on top 84-74.

Improving to 4-2 on the year, the Knights were led by Forthan's 22 points (10-for-14 FG), six rebounds, and four assists as well as 20 points from Sheng. To guide a strong bench contribution, O'Brien added a season-high 15 points and five rebounds while junior Caron Brown finished with eight points and five rebounds.

UCSD falls to 1-3, seeing Farrah Shokoor, who had a double-double at halftime, finish with 21 points and 19 rebounds.

Academy of Art returns to RIMAC Arena tomorrow afternoon for a 1:00 PM tipoff against Cal State San Bernardino in the UCSD Thanksgiving Classic.