KNIGHT WATCH
Academy of Art remains second in the PacWest in scoring offense (79.8 points per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.93) behind Hawaii Pacific (83.0 ppg, 1.03 Ast/TO) and is second to Point Loma in turnover margin (3.56) after a 25-12 boost in the contest against Northwest Nazarene. After her game-winner versus NNU gave her 12 points, junior forward Krystal Forthan is now averaging 16.2 points per game (7th in PacWest) along with 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game.

Junior guards Zoie Sheng (13.4 ppg) and Sha'Nice Storey (13.0 ppg) make up a strong one-two punch scoring behind Forthan. Sheng is second in the PacWest with an 88.7 free throw percentage after having reached the foul line at least 20 more times than any other player in the Top 10. With five assists against Northwest Nazarene, Sheng now has 225 in her career and needs just eight more to tie Sondra Stilwell's record 233. Storey finds herself second in the conference with a 46.7 3-point field goal percentage, having made 21 triples in 45 attempts. Hot since the UCSD Thanksgiving Classic finale, Storey is averaging 18.3 points and 3.3 shots made from distance in her last three games.

The fourth and final Urban Knight averaging double figures offensively is junior guard Jasmin Guinn who scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds versus NNU. A double-digit rebounder in her last two games, Guinn needs only 20 more rebounds to tie Jessica Nolan's career record and is averaging a team-high 8.6 rpg (9th in PacWest). Junior guard Regina Camera is scoring 9.9 points per contest and gives the Knights two in the PacWest's top 10 in assists per game (Sheng 9th – 3.4 apg, Camera 10th – 3.2 apg).

LANCERS LOCKED IN
At 8-1, California Baptist is riding a six-game win streak heading into Tuesday's matchup with the Lancers' only loss of the year a 76-57 result at Cal State San Bernardino. That came after CBU edged NNU 96-94 and prior to a series of West Region victories over Saint Martin's, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State Los Angeles, Dixie State in the start of PacWest play, and most recently Western Oregon on Dec. 13. California Baptist is one of the conference's best rebounding teams with 45.5 rpg (2nd in PacWest) and much of that is thanks to the PacWest's leading rebounder Darsha Burnside who is averaging a double-double (15.1 ppg, 11.9 rpg). CBU's top scoring threat is Courtney Nelson at 17.2 ppg (2nd in PacWest). ART U, who came into last year never having beaten California Baptist in two previous meetings, proceeded to defeat the Lancers three times including the PacWest Tournament Championship game, giving them a 3-2 all-time advantage.

COUGARS COMMANDING RESPECT
Saturday will be a meeting of one of the PacWest's top offenses (ART U) up against one of the best defenses (APU). Azusa Pacific ranks third in the conference in scoring defense, only allowing opponents 69.0 ppg while sitting at second overall in blocks (5.22 bpg). After a huge 85-81 upset victory over #2 Cal Poly Pomona in double overtime came as part of a 4-0 start to the year, the Cougars then fell to Seattle Pacific, Cal State San Bernardino, and UC San Diego. Since then, APU has split in conference play with a win over Fresno Pacific and loss to Point Loma. The PacWest's leading scorer is Azusa Pacific's Kelly Hardeman (20.8 ppg) and they carry two of the top six shot blockers in Hardeman (4th at 2.4 bpg) and Maggie Dumphy (6th at 2.4 bpg). The Cougars matchup with ART U comes at the tail end of a Bay Area tour in which they face Dominican (Dec. 16) and Notre Dame de Namur (Dec. 18) this week. In two historical meetings between Academy of Art and Azusa Pacific, APU holds a 2-0 advantage.

ACADEMY OF ART WINS THRILLER OVER CRUSADERS
Executing down the stretch, ART U Women's Basketball overcame Northwest Nazarene 76-72 inside Kezar Pavilion on Dec. 12. A 10-0 run late set up a clutch offensive rebound and put-back by Guinn and the eventual game-winning jumper by Forthan with six seconds left. The Urban Knights had 18 points off turnovers in the second half to fuel the victory.

LOOKING AHEAD
Following a 10-game break from competition, the Urban Knights will travel to Dixie State for an afternoon matchup with the Red Storm on Dec. 31. ART U is then back home on Jan. 3 to host Dominican.