AZUSA, Calif. – Academy of Art entered the Felix Event Center on Friday, looking to advance beyond the first round of West Regionals of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship for the first time in program history. Although the Urban Knights kept within striking distance for most of the first half, No. 5 and third seeded California Baptist separated themselves in the second, forcing ART U to come up short with a 93-70 loss to CBU.
 
The Lancers were off to a fast start in the first quarter, outscoring the Urban Knights 12-5 in the opening four minutes. CBU would continue pushing the tempo of the game, raising their lead to 10 points at the end of the first period (25-15).
 
ART U played the Lancers neck-and-neck in the second quarter, despite losing redshirt junior guard Jasmine Rubin and PacWest Defender of the Year and All-PacWest First Team senior guard Jasmin Guinn to injuries. After a high-scoring first quarter, the second period was centered on defense: in fact, neither team would score in the opening two minutes. Although the Knights twice cut the deficit to six points, California Baptist would exit the floor with another 10-point lead (43-33) at the half. The second quarter was ART U's most efficient period as they shot 47.4 percent (9-for-19) from the floor.
 
In the second half, the Lancers began to separate themselves from Academy of Art, starting the third quarter with an 18-6 run, to go up 61-39. The Urban Knights matched their second quarter point total of 18 points, but CBU went on a tear, posting 33 of their own with a field goal percentage of .625 (10-for-16). Their high scoring was thanks, in part, to 10 made free throws and three out of five buckets from beyond the three-point arc.
 
The fourth quarter proved to be the most lucrative for ART U, scoring 19 points over the Lancers' 17. It would not be enough for the Knights however, as California Baptist extended their lead to 32 points with 6:18 remaining in the game. Nevertheless, ART U would follow up with their largest run of the contest, scoring 12 unanswered points, highlighted by seven from senior guard and All-PacWest Third Team selection Regina Camera.
 
Despite the loss, there were several Urban Knights who posted impressive numbers on Friday. Senior guard and All-PacWest Second Team member Zoie Sheng scored a team-high 22 points along with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Camera also had a big game, becoming the second Academy of Art women's basketball player to notch a double-double in the NCAA Championship Tournament (also Krystal Forthan in 2014). The Stockton, Calif. native scored 19 points with 12 rebounds (a career-high) and three assists. Guinn was well on her way to posting a double-double as well, scoring seven points with eight rebounds before exiting in the second quarter. As a team, ART U scored more points off turnovers (18:12) and turned the ball over fewer times (10) than CBU.
 
For California Baptist, the Lancers saw four players score double-figure point totals, including Megan Frerer who also double-doubled with 16 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. CBU's 93 points were the most the Urban Knights have conceded this season and the highest total since falling to Dixie State on February 12, 2011 (coincidentally, the final season that ART U head coach LaNay Larson was an assistant at Dixie State).
 
Academy of Art will begin their journey back to San Francisco on Saturday morning to begin preparing for the 2016-2017 season.