HONOLULU – Game two of their three-part Hawaiian roadtrip saw the Urban Knights fall to Hawaii Pacific 76-45 inside Moanalua High School's gym on Sunday afternoon. Academy of Art women's basketball got 20+ points from sophomore forward
Lily Perkins for the third consecutive game, but it was not enough as strong bench play helped the Sharks to a Pacific West Conference victory.
It was junior forward
Ines Medina who opened things up for the Urban Knights with a 3-pointer and the game remained close through the first part of the opening quarter as junior forward
Megan Jefferson converted a layup kept the margin at a single point with under five minutes to go. However, a jolt of offensive energy by HPU quickly put them up 18-9 and the margin was seven points heading into the second quarter.
A 7-2 start to the frame featured another Medina triple and ART U found themselves within two at 20-18. Free throws from freshman guard
Chanel Stuart kept Academy of Art just a basket away with 2:28 left, but six unanswered points had the halftime score 33-23 in favor of the Sharks.
That run turned into a 20-2 push by HPU over the course of the second and third quarters. Perkins repeatedly scored around the rim or at the foul line, but the lead grew to 63-33 at the end of the third. It would stay in that vicinity the rest of the way as Hawaii Pacific prevailed 76-45.
Academy of Art, now 3-17 overall and 2-15 in PacWest, saw four of its starters play 40 minutes apiece and account for all 45 points. Perkins offered 21 points with four rebounds and two assists. Medina added nine points and six rebounds while Jefferson had eight points and seven rebounds and Stuart contributed seven points.
Hawaii Pacific improves to 17-6 on the year and 15-2 in conference play, keeping them in the hunt for a PacWest regular season title. Five Sharks scored in double figures led by McKenzie Alton's 18 points in an incredible nine minutes off the bench. She was finished a perfect 7-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 from long range.
ART U will conclude its Hawaii roadtrip this Tuesday, Feb. 12 with a 5:30 p.m. HT (7:30 p.m. PT) tip-off against Chaminade inside McCabe Gymnasium.
