SAN DIEGO – Led by freshman guard Kyla Wandick's season-high 15 points, three Academy of Art women's basketball Urban Knights scored in double figures, but it was not enough to overcome a late push by Point Loma inside Golden Gymnasium in Thursday evening's start to Pacific West Conference play.

After free throws by sophomore guard Jadence Clifton and a layup by senior guard Lauryn Manns, ART U established a 4-0 advantage which was soon furthered by two layups by sophomore forward/center Alisha Wilson. The Knights held an 11-8 lead before PLNU bridged the first and second quarters with a 9-0 run to go up 17-11.

Freshman guard Madison Johnson soon hit two 3-pointers in a span of less than three minutes to keep Academy of Art and the two sides then traded baskets en route to a 35-26 Sea Lions lead at halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, Wandick led a 12-0 ART U surge, scoring all but three of those points and capping the push with a three-point play conversion to give her team a 40-39 advantage with a little over three minutes until the fourth. The Sea Lions, however, would finish the quarter with a 7-0 run for a six-point margin as the final frame began.

A score by Manns in the opening minute of the fourth brought the Knights to within four, but PLNU answered back with 10 of the next 12 and, despite seven unanswered points by ART U's Manns and Wandick in the final three minutes, the end result would be a 60-51 win for the home team.

Academy of Art, now 0-6 overall and 0-1 in PacWest play, had Wandick (15 points), Manns (13 points, and Wilson (10 points) as its top three scorers. Wandick's season-high came on a field goal percentage just under 50 percent (.462) while Manns added five rebounds and Wilson tied Clifton with a team-high seven rebounds plus two steals. Sophomore forward/center Christy Ojide covered quite a bit of the stat sheet with five points, four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.

Starting conference play at 1-0 to go with a 3-5 overall record, Point Loma was led by Haylee Saurette's 15-point, 11-rebound double-double as well as Allie Carreon's 14 points which included three 3-pointers.

After a day off from action tomorrow, the Urban Knights will finish their first of two Southern California roadtrips with a Saturday matchup with Concordia in Irvine at 2 p.m.