ANAHEIM, Calif. – Battling the top-ranked team in NCAA Division II last season in Alaska Anchorage as part of the CCA DII Tipoff Classic, Academy of Art University women's basketball offered its best performance of the season on both sides of the ball Sunday. The Urban Knights hit the second-most 3-pointers in program history (13) and forced a season-high 24 turnovers, but it was not enough to overcome the Seawolves who won 87-82 inside Cal State Dominguez Hills' Torodome.

"While I'm disappointed with a loss, I'm proud of the way we competed," said head coach LaNay Larson. "I think we proved that when we play hard and more disciplined, we can be as good as anyone. We had chances to pull out a win against one of the top teams in the country."

Despite an 11-4 Seawolves run to start the game, Academy of Art steadily worked its way back in until 3-pointers by senior guards Zoie Sheng and Sha'Nice Storey keyed an 8-1 run. Then, on ART U's final possession of the quarter, Sheng found Storey in the corner for a buzzer-beating triple to tie things up 20-20.

Storey buried another shot from long range to keep Alaska Anchorage from separating early in the second quarter then senior guard Regina Camera joined the long range attack. Senior guard Jasmin Guinn added a triple of her own to cut the UAA lead to one, 37-36, and the halftime score would reflect just a four-point difference for the Seawolves.

A 10-2 run to start the second half put Alaska Anchorage up 51-42, but the Urban Knights rallied with more shots from distance. This time it was sophomore guard Desiree Harris and Camera who went back-to-back. Free throws by Guinn to finish the quarter kept the Seawolves' lead at single digits and sparked an 8-2 burst that featured three in-rhythm baskets by junior forward D'Andree Galipeau.

Alaska Anchorage pushed an eight-point lead with four minutes and 38 seconds left, however, Guinn and Storey both knocked down triples during another 8-2 surge. A veteran team, UAA looked to be in control heading into the final minute up by seven, but Camera struck unexpectedly for a jumper then immediately stole the inbounds pass and scored again with 40 seconds on the clock.

The game now one possession, the Seawolves called timeout and managed to get the final basket, a jumper by Kiki Robertson, with 11 seconds left as a 3-pointer by Sheng did not fall. Though extremely close down the stretch, the end result on Sunday was an Alaska Anchorage victory over ART U.

Academy of Art completes this season-opening tournament 0-3. Camera (18 points) led the Knights offensively for the second consecutive game, hitting three of her six shots from beyond the arc with five assists and four rebounds. Storey posted a season-high 17 points with five 3-pointers made while Sheng delivered 15 points and eight assists. Guinn contributed 13 points (3-for-8 from long range), seven rebounds, and five assists.

"My four seniors were all contributing in not only the scoring column, but all aspects of the game and that makes us a really hard team to guard," said Larson. "If we can keep progressing and build off today, we have a lot to look forward to."

Alaska Anchorage, one of two teams to go 3-0 in the CCA Division II Tipoff Classic, got a career-high 35 points from Megan Mullings, GNAC Preseason Player of the Year, on 14-for-19 shooting from the field. She added 13 rebounds and three steals in just 28 minutes of action.

ART U will play an exhibition game at NCAA Division I Stanford University on Nov. 7 then the Knights return to DII play with games against Simon Fraser (Nov. 13) and Montana State-Billings (Nov. 14) in Montana.