Game #12
ART U Urban Knights (7-4, 1-3 PacWest) vs. Biola Eagles (1-11, 1-3 PacWest)
Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.
La Mirada, Calif. – Chase Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video

Game #13
ART U Urban Knights (7-4, 1-3 PacWest) vs. Point Loma Sea Lions (9-3, 4-0 PacWest)
Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 2 p.m.
San Diego – Golden Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video

ACADEMY OF ART IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO OPEN 2025
Following an 11-day break from competition, Academy of Art women's basketball returns to action at Biola on the second evening of the new year before rematching Point Loma in San Diego as Pacific West Conference play continues on.

TIP-OFF
On the road for the first time since Nov. 21, ART U visits Biola inside Chase Gymnasium on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 5:30 p.m. then Point Loma inside Golden Gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. 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
One of four PacWest teams with at least seven wins and owners of the third-best overall record in the PacWest at 7-4, Academy of Art has earned wins over SF State (Nov. 8), Cal State Monterey Bay (Nov. 9), Cal Maritime (Nov. 12), Stanislaus State (Nov. 16), Sonoma State (Nov. 21), UC Merced (Dec. 1), and Chaminade (Dec. 21) through the 2024 portion of its season. ART U collectively continues to lead the conference in rebounds per game (42.1) and opponent field goal percentage (.335) in addition to ranking among the PacWest's top three in assists (14.8) and 3-pointers made (8.0) per game.

Now with their current streak of having at least seven different players score at 11 games this season (17 straight dating back to the end of last year), the Urban Knights have senior forward Yasmine Sifaoui pacing the squad at 11.3 points per game after a most recent five-game stretch that has seen her shooting .571 from the field in that span to help put her third in the PacWest in field goal percentage (.510). Junior guard Alba Rovira Ayuso (9.3) and senior forward/center Christy Ojide Boiko (8.7) are the next two of seven Knights averaging at least 5.5 points per game. Ojide Boiko adds 6.7 rebounds (ninth in PacWest) and shares a place among the conference's top 10 in blocks per game (0.8, 10th) with freshman forward Keira Mitchell (1.1, fifth).

Now with 539 career rebounds, Ojide Boiko needs just four more to pass Regina Camera for fourth in ART U history and six more on the defensive end to better Jessica Nolan for sixth in ART U history. Meanwhile, Ojide Boiko remains four blocks shy of 100 in her career. Sophomore guard Lucia Revenga comes off her best game of the season with 13 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, putting her now 11th in the PacWest in assists per game (2.7) and 13th in steals per contest (1.6) behind the team's leader in the latter category, sophomore guard Anna Fornells, who remains eighth at 1.8 thefts per game. Redshirt freshman guard Karereatua Williams also signed off on her top performance of the year against Chaminade, netting a season-high 15 points with three 3-pointers made for the fourth time in her last five outings.

THE BIOLA BIO
Picked to finish eight in the conference's preseason poll, Biola was winless through its seven games of the season before besting Concordia 65-59 to open PacWest play. The Eagles, however, dropped four straight to close out the 2024 calendar year and begin January's action at 1-11 overall and 1-3 in conference contests. Despite averaging the PacWest's lowest points per game (50.3), BU currently ranks inside the top half in free throw percentage (.715) led by Jessica Thurman's conference-best .923 mark which comes along with 11.3 points (21st in PacWest) and 6.7 rebounds (ninth in PacWest) per game. Academy of Art has won five of its last six matchups with Biola, evening the all-time series at 5-5.

GETTING TO THE POINT
Since its 70-59 victory over ART U back on Dec. 7, Point Loma has yet to fall to an opponent, topping Biola, Concordia, and Westcliff to close out 2024 at 9-3 overall and 4-0 in PacWest matchups. The Sea Lions will face Fresno Pacific on Jan. 2 ahead of the weekend rematch with the Urban Knights and could be on an eight-game win streak when that contest tips off. PLNU, who leads the conference in the three major percentages (.461 field goal, .417 three-point, .763 free throw) to rank second in points per game (70.6), are led by the trio of Tavia Rowell (15.1 points per game, fourth in PacWest), Alli McDonald (9.0 rebounds per game, second in PacWest), and Kaylee Byon (4.8 assists per game, second in PacWest). Point Loma's win earlier this season put them in front 14-9 historically versus Academy of Art.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL OUTLASTS CHAMINADE 67-66 IN OVERTIME
In a Pacific West Conference battle that oscillated back and forth over the course of four quarters, it was Academy of Art women's basketball who celebrated victory by a single point, 67-66, thanks to clutch free throws by redshirt freshman guard Karereatua Williams in the final second of overtime inside Kezar Pavilion on Dec. 21.

LOOKING AHEAD
Back in Northern California following the SoCal swing, ART U will wrap up its sequence of three straight road games at Jessup on Jan. 8.