MONMOUTH, Ore. – Two games. Two wins.

An exciting start to the 2019-20 season for Academy of Art women's basketball continued Saturday afternoon as the Urban Knights edged Concordia (Ore.) 79-77 on a buzzer-beating layup by graduate student guard Tayler Bennett. Finishing with a game-high 26 points, Bennett was one of four ART U players to score in double figures inside Western Oregon's New PE Building.

"This win demonstrated the versatility of our team; anyone can have a big game," said head coach Krystle Evans. "Last year, we lost to Concordia by 30 so to compete and come out victorious shows the growth and buy-in of everyone on our roster."

Back-and-forth action had the teams tied 15-15 in the early going, but the Cavaliers used a short burst to close the quarter up 25-20. In the second, CU pushed its margin up to 12 before ART U responded using a three-point play from junior forward Megan Jefferson and Bennett layup to start its comeback. Senior guard/forward Ines Medina nailed 3-pointers on two consecutive possessions then junior guard Pam Wilmore converted two layups and junior guard/forward Lily Perkins added a pair of baskets and the Knights had the lead.

Concordia made its one final push toward shooting 50 percent from long range in the half and carried a 45-41 lead into the break despite Academy of Art shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. That gave way to another triple as the Cavaliers gained a nine-point advantage early in the third quarter. In a bit of déjà vu to their season opener, the Urban Knights were not phased even though CU went up by as many as 18.

Much like the game prior, a furious 19-2 comeback began late in the third with a Jefferson layup and a triple from senior guard Brianna Cates. Then ART U made it back-to-back games allowing opponents to score just seven points in the final quarter while 16 from the Knights were capped by Bennett's thrilling finale for the 79-77 victory.

"As a team, we focus on hitting another gear each quarter," said Evans. "We are conditioned mentally and physically to make our last sprint and our last quarter our best one."

Now 2-0 on the year, Academy of Art was led by Bennett's game-high 26 points (10-for-13 from the field including four 3-pointers). Perkins and Cates each added 14 points apiece with Perkins collecting 10 rebounds as well. Medina knocked down three triples to finish with 11 points while Wilmore finished with nine points and seven assists.

Concordia falls to 0-2 this season despite having its own quartet score in double figures. Olivia Vezaldenos paced the team with 18 points.

The Urban Knights will now have a full 25 days off from competition before they begin Pacific West Conference play on the road at Fresno Pacific on Dec. 5.

"The next few weeks we will focus on our defensive rotations and rebounding," said Evans. "We have to do a better job finishing plays."