HONOLULU – Academy of Art women's basketball played four solid quarters with a consistently high field goal percentage to topple Chaminade on Saturday. The Knights also utilized a 50-38 rebound margin to take home the win, their third highest mark of the season.  
 
Chaminade was quick out of the gate in the first quarter, going on a 9-2 run to start the game. However, the Urban Knights surged back to tie things up at 19 points apiece at the end of the quarter thanks to eight points from senior guard Alana Simon and seven from junior guard Rodericka Ware.
 
ART U used their momentum to score 10 unanswered points to begin the second quarter, taking a 29-19 lead. Although Chaminade responded with a 7-0 run of their own, a triple from junior guard Hayley Pryor helped Academy of Art regain the momentum. From there, the Urban Knights outscored the Silverswords 10-2 to end the half with an eight-point, 36-28 lead.
 
Academy of Art picked up where they left off in the third quarter, going on an 11-2 streak in the first three minutes after the break. The Urban Knights continued to stretch their lead, and a steal by freshman guard Karleigh Joseph led to fastbreak layup by Simon to make it an 18-point game.
 
In the final 10-minute period, the Knights continued to dominate, reaching a game-high lead of 20 points with 4:33 to play. Chaminade was able to put together a late drive however, cutting the deficit to nine points. The Silverswords' effort was too little, too late as Academy of Art held on for the victory.
 
Simon led the Urban Knights with 21 points, four rebounds, two steals, and an assist. The 21 points are her second-highest total of the season, just four shy of her 25-point performance against Notre Dame de Namur on January 22. Ware scored 17 points and collected seven rebounds and a steal, while junior forward Helena Orts recorded her 12th double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
 
With the win, the Urban Knights improve to 13-10, 9-6 PacWest and earn a series sweep of the Silverswords after their 71-58 victory on January 10. ART U still holds the sixth and final spot needed to enter the PacWest Conference Championship, but will continue to battle it out with Dominican (9-8)and UH-Hilo (7-9) to hold their position.
 
Academy of Art will continue their Hawaiian-stay on Monday, February 13 with a 4:30 p.m. HT tipoff at Hawaii Pacific.