Box Score

Belmont, CA – Academy of Art University Women's Basketball found itself in a close back-and-forth battle with Bay Area rival Notre Dame de Namur Saturday afternoon, but big free throws from Zoie Sheng down the stretch managed to keep the Urban Knights in front for the 88-83 win. Down eight points in a first half fraught with foul trouble, ART U bounced back to score 53 second half points led by Regina Camera and Molly O'Brien en route to its 18th victory of the year.

Although NDNU's Maya Arellanes sank the first basket of the game, a triple, Academy of Art made four of its first five field goals (three by Krystal Forthan) and was soon up 16-8 after Sha'Nice Storey put in two free throws. A 7-2 response from the Argonauts led by Arellanes made it a three-point affair and the teams continued to trade blows midway through the period.

Back-to-back layups by Arellanes took NDNU from down four to up three and, after the Knights made four baskets capped by a Forthan layup, the score was briefly tied 32-32. Felicia Oakmon scored eight points in the final four minutes and helped her team capture its largest lead of the evening, up 43-35 at the half.

The Argos pushed their lead up to 10 points early in the second period and shortly thereafter a Jasmine Waiters jumper had them ahead 56-45, but a 12-2 rebuttal then came from ART U. Camera started things with a fastbreak layup off Aleigh Krug's pass and later a Forthan three-point play further closed the gap. As Academy of Art threatened to retake the lead, NDNU hung tough and stayed ahead. O'Brien knocked down a triple and followed with back-to-back jumpers, but the Knights were still down six with 7:23 left.

For the next four minutes, the Argos remained in front only to fall behind ART U 77-76 on a Camera layup at the 3:19 mark. Sheng soon found O'Brien for a triple from the left corner and Academy of Art snatched an 80-78 lead on that clutch basket.

The game was tied 80-80 with one minute left as Sheng headed to the foul line. She made her first pair, but a foul on the other end resulted in two for NDNU as well. Sheng made two more with 28 seconds left to put the Knights on top 84-82 and Arellanes split her pair at the line to open the door for ART U. Sheng was again at the charity stripe with five seconds left and wound up putting her squad up by three. As the Argos had the final chance to tie, Forthan stole the inbounds pass and finished off the 88-83 win with free throws.

On their way to win #15 in conference and an 18-6 overall record, ART U was led by Forthan's 19 points and 13 rebounds for her ninth consecutive double-double along with three steals and two blocks while Jasmin Guinn had her fourth straight double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Camera (18 points and five rebounds) and O'Brien (12 points, five rebounds) combined for 26 second half points. Storey added 13 points and four assists followed by high school teammate Sheng's 11 points and five assists.

NDNU falls to 4-18 overall (3-13 in PacWest) despite the game-high 28 points, five rebounds, and four assists from Arellanes. Jennifer Jasper contributed a double-double in the form of 16 points and 10 rebounds along with Felicia Oakmon's 14 points off the bench.

Academy of Art is next in action against Fresno Pacific on Monday, Feb. 17 at 5:30 PM in Fresno.