Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO – Feeding off the excitement of a pre-game celebration honoring seniors Sherelle Williams, Molly O'Brien, and Madeline Martin, the Urban Knights got ahead of Notre Dame de Namur and never looked back. They finished off a 79-49 victory to inch closer to the Pacific West Conference Championship tournament behind solid performances up and down the roster including a game-high 19 points from junior guard Zoie Sheng and 17 points apiece from junior guards Jasmin Guinn and Regina Camera.
Academy of Art University was in control from the outset. With Camera connecting on her first jumper and Guinn making her opening attempt from beyond the arc, ART U proceeded to score 15 straight points before NDNU got on the scoreboard. Kirsten Liana responded with a pair of triples and a layup to breathe life into the Argos, yet the lead remained at double digits midway through the half on Camera's 3-pointer.
A 10-2 run keyed by Guinn's second conversion from long range soon put the Knights ahead 34-17, but Notre Dame de Namur continued to hang around thanks to free throws. In fact, after ART U saw its largest lead, the Argos closed the half on 13-4 surge and were down only eight, 38-30, at the break.
Academy of Art wasted little time reestablishing their grip on the game as Sheng and Camera each hit 3-pointers to start the second half. Then a 15-0 burst capped by baskets from junior center
Caron Brown and Sheng forced a 27-point lead for the Knights.
O'Brien went to work on both ends of the court to keep the offense flowing and the margin had expanded to more than 30 points. There it would remain the rest of the way as ART U held NDNU to just 19 points in the second half, winning 79-49 in the end.
For the Knights, who are now 16-9 overall and 11-6 in PacWest play, Sheng's 19 points led the way. She was 7-for-12 from the field and 2-for-3 from beyond the 3-point arc. Additionally, her three free throws solidified her as the program's top foul shooter. Guinn added 17 points (5-for-9 FG) including a career-high four 3-pointers to go with six rebounds, six steals, and four assists. Camera's 17 points came on a 7-for-9 shooting night that featured a pair of shots from distance, a season-high nine rebounds, and six assists.
NDNU falls to 4-21 and 2-16 in conference despite a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double from Liana and 11 points from Coco Bradley off the bench.
The Urban Knights will next embark upon their three-part Hawaii roadtrip with stops at UH Hilo (Feb. 24), BYU-Hawaii (Feb. 26), and Chaminade (Feb. 28).
