Game #11
ART U Urban Knights (5-5, 2-1 PacWest) vs. No. 9 Azusa Pacific Cougars (8-1, 4-0 PacWest)
Monday, January 3, 2022 at 1 p.m.
Oakland, Calif. – Tobin Gymnasium
Live Stats & Live Video

Game #12
ART U Urban Knights (5-5, 2-1 PacWest) vs. Point Loma Sea Lions (7-5, 2-3 PacWest)
Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 1 p.m.
Oakland, Calif. – Tobin Gymnasium
Live Stats & Live Video

Game #13
ART U Urban Knights (5-5, 2-1 PacWest) vs. Concordia Eagles (6-5, 3-2 PacWest)
Saturday, January 8, 2021 at 1 p.m.
TBA - TBA
Live Stats & Live Video

ART U TO HOST COUGARS, SEA LIONS, EAGLES IN SIX-DAY STRETCH
The first action for Academy of Art women's basketball since Dec. 14 will begin the new calendar year and pits the Urban Knights against No. 9 Azusa Pacific before Pacific West Conference rematches with Point Loma and Concordia.

TIP-OFF
On Monday, Jan. 3, ART U gets its first look at APU in a 1 p.m. matchup at Holy Names' Tobin Gymnasium in Oakland. That will be the same site as the PacWest rematch versus Point Loma on Thursday, Jan. 6 also set for 1 p.m. The location for Academy of Art's 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8 contest against Concordia is still to be determined so stay tuned to www.artuathletics.com for the most up-to-date information. All times and venues are subject to change. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps. 

KNIGHT WATCH
A major reason why Academy of Art has held opponents to the fewest points per game (59.8) in the PacWest has been the Urban Knights' top marks in the conference in blocks (6.2), steals (12.2), rebounds (44.4), and offensive rebounds (18.4) per game. Among NCAA Division II programs, ART U is second in blocks, eighth in offensive rebounds, 17th in rebounds, and 23rd in steals per game.

With at least one block in all but one game this season and seven or more rebounds in eight contests thus far, freshman forward/center Alisha Wilson leads the PacWest with 2.2 blocks and 10.7 rebounds per game with 4.4 of the latter coming on the offensive glass. She ranks 17th in the country in offensive rebounds, 21st in blocks, and 22nd in rebounds with four double-doubles to date.

Through eight games played, graduate student guard Joy Krupa put up 11.3 points (18th in PacWest), 8.8 rebounds (fifth in PacWest), 2.4 assists (19th in PacWest), 2.1 blocks (second in PacWest, 23rd in NCAA DII), and 1.9 steals per game (eighth in PacWest). She also sits sixth in the conference in field goal percentage (.451) and four double-doubles thus far.

Behind Krupa, the trio of junior guard Lauryn Manns (9.3), junior guard Chanel Stuart (8.6), and freshman guard Brooke Rodgers (8.5) are the Knights' next top scorers. Riding a current streak of five consecutive games with three or more steals, Stuart has risen to fourth in the PacWest with 2.2 steals per contest. Her first double-double of the season (12 points, 11 rebounds) came most recently against No. 10 Western Washington and upped her streak of games with eight or more rebounds to three. Freshman guard Alyssa Munn enters the week tied for 10th in the PacWest with 2.8 assists per game while freshman forward/center Christy Ojide joins her teammates among the conference's top 10 in blocks per game at ninth (0.8).

IT'S A ZU OUT THERE
Coming into this season with back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in the previous two years the NCAA DII Tournament was held, Azusa Pacific is ranked No. 9 in the country and remains the lone undefeated team in PacWest play at 4-0. APU has a pair of overtime wins over Cal Poly Pomona and Seattle Pacific with its lone blemish in nine games a 74-57 loss to Western Washington. The Cougars have a +27.7 scoring margin through four conference contests and will face Dominican on Jan. 1 prior to Academy of Art. Leading an Azusa Pacific team ranked 29th in the country in scoring (76.6 points per game) and first in the PacWest in field goal percentage (.440) is Kayla Shaw whose 17.8 points per game have her fourth in the conference while Laura Pranger has amassed 25 blocks in just four contests. The historical matchup favors APU over ART U 10-3.

ON POINT
With its upcoming Jan. 1 contest at Concordia postponed, Point Loma will have only played two games since sustaining its 68-60 loss to Academy of Art on Dec. 11 in San Diego. The Sea Lions fell to APU by 30 in the week that followed then finished 2021 with a 90-39 victory over San Diego Christian. PLNU ranks third in the PacWest in scoring (72.6 points per game) thanks in large part to the second-highest field goal percentage (.435) which particularly supported by Cara Liggins' 13.5 points per game (ninth in PacWest) and Haylee Saurette's 12.5 points per game (12th in PacWest). Liggins adds 7.8 rebounds per contest (eighth in PacWest) and Saurette is fourth in the conference shooting a .488 from the field. The ART U win earlier this season shortened PLNU's lead to 9-7 in the historical matchup.

CONQUERING CONCORDIA
Since its 64-61 loss at the hands of the Urban Knights on Dec. 9, Concordia dropped a matchup with Central Washington 75-63 then defeated Dominican 79-60 on Dec. 20. With its games against Biola and Point Loma postponed, CUI is slated to have a rematch with the Penguins come on Jan. 6 prior to facing Academy of Art. Shooting .778 from the foul line, the Eagles lead the PacWest (27th in NCAA DII) as both Michaela VanderKlugt (.826) and Jasmine Rachal (.784) can be found among the conference's top six. The duo is also among the PacWest's top six in scoring with VanderKlugt second at 20.1 points per game (17th in NCAA DII) and Rachal sixth at 17.0 points per game. With victories in two of its last three meetings with Concordia, ART U has extended its margin in the historical matchup to 6-3.

DEFENSIVE BATTLE GOES WAY OF NO. 10 WWU 57-43 OVER ART U
Stifling defense was exhibited by both sides throughout a Dec. 14 non-conference matchup of Academy of Art women's basketball and No. 10 Western Washington, but as things picked up after they combined to score just 13 points in the opening quarter, the Vikings used a third quarter momentum shift to ultimately take the 57-43 win inside Holy Names' Tobin Gym. Junior guard Chanel Stuart posted her first double-double of the season (12 points, 11 rebounds) to lead the Urban Knights.

LOOKING AHEAD
For the first time this season, ART U will depart California to take on the PacWest's three Hawaii schools in UH Hilo (Jan. 13), Hawaii Pacific (Jan. 15), and Chaminade (Jan. 17).