Game #10
ART U Urban Knights (1-8, 1-2 PacWest) vs. No. 18 Azusa Pacific Cougars (9-2, 4-0 PacWest)
Saturday, December 17, 2022 at 1 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats & Live Video
Game #11
ART U Urban Knights (1-8, 1-2 PacWest) vs. Biola Eagles (3-7, 3-1 PacWest)
Monday, December 19, 2022 at 1 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats & Live Video
MATCHUPS WITH COUGARS, EAGLES TAKE ART U INTO WINTER BREAK
After breaking out with an
86-48 Pacific West Conference victory over Chaminade last weekend, Academy of Art women's basketball now prepares to take on the conference's lone nationally-ranked team in No. 18 Azusa Pacific before Biola ahead of 11 days off from competition.
TIP-OFF
Wrapping up its homestand with the next two games, ART U will first host Azusa Pacific this Saturday, Dec. 17 before welcoming Biola on Monday, Dec. 19. Both contests are slated for 1 p.m. start times inside Walter Gleason Gym. 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.
Monday's game will be ALS Awareness Day. ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord. Patients in the later stages of the disease are totally paralyzed, yet in most cases, their minds remain sharp and alert. Every day, an average of 15 people are newly diagnosed with ALS and as many as 30,000 Americans may currently be affected by ALS. To help support research, advocacy, nationwide care services, and ALS-specific clinical care, please
click here to donate.
KNIGHT WATCH
Following a win over Chaminade that saw Academy of Art set season-bests in points allowed (48), field goal percentage (.453), three-point field goal percentage (.500), points (86), rebounds (44), and assists (21), ART U comes into this weekend ranked top among the PacWest's top five in defensive points allowed (64.8), free throw percentage (.715), and steals per game (8.3).
Upon achieving a new career-high with 26 points versus the Silverswords, sophomore forward/center Alisha Wilson has become the Urban Knights' new scoring leader at 12.6 points per game (ninth in PacWest) on a .461 field goal percentage (fourth in PacWest). Pacing the conference with 9.7 rebounds per game, she has collected four double-doubles in her seven games played (18 in her career to sit nine behind the program leader) while also adding 2.1 steals per contest (seventh in PacWest). Ahead of her teammate at 2.6 steals per game (third in PacWest), sophomore guard Jadence Clifton has contributed an average of 10.2 points per game (21st in PacWest) along with 2.8 assists per game (10th in PacWest). Freshman guard Madison Johnson comes off a career performance in which she poured in 23 points including seven 3-pointers while freshman guard Kyla Wandick did it all with eight points, seven assists, and five rebounds in that same game against Chaminade. Fifth in the conference, sophomore forward/center Christy Ojide comes in with an average of 1.1 blocks per game, having rejected multiple shots in four of her nine contests.
COUGARS INCOMING
A 25-4 overall record last season sent Azusa Pacific to the semifinals of the West Regional portion of the NCAA Division II Tournament following a win over ART U to claim its second PacWest Conference Tournament title. At 9-2 overall and 4-0 in PacWest play this season, APU is currently ranked No. 18 in the country with its only losses to Cal Poly Pomona and Seattle Pacific. The Cougars rank first in the conference in a variety of statistical categories including scoring margin (+12.7), field goal percentage (.419), and assists per game (16.4) with TyLee Manuel, the team's leading scorer at 16.0 points per game (third in PacWest), top rebounder at 7.2 rebounds per game (10th in PacWest), and sporter of the second-highest field goal percentage in the conference (.574), coming in as the PacWest Defender of the Week. In 15 previous meetings, Azusa Pacific is 12-3 over Academy of Art.
THE BIOLA BIO
After taking six losses to start the season, Biola has shifted the momentum since the start of PacWest play with wins over Fresno Pacific, Holy Names, and Point Loma prior to an overtime defeat at Concordia's hand. The Eagles, who pace the conference in both three-point field goal percentage (.336) and 3-pointers made per game (8.7) are set to face Dominican on Dec. 17 before meeting ART U on Monday. Jordan Rabe's 13.7 points (fifth in PacWest), 6.5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks (second in PacWest) pace BU and Laila Walker's 2.2 triples per contest come with a .355 shooting percentage from deep to both rank second in the conference. Three consecutive wins for the Knights have brought them to within one win of tying the Eagles historically 4-3.
KNIGHTS DOMINATE CHAMINADE 86-48 FOR FIRST PACWEST WIN
While wet weather pelted the outside of Walter Gleason Gym, Academy of Art women's basketball was busy raining down 3-pointers and locking down Chaminade defensively for a 86-48 Pacific West Conference victory, setting season-highs in nearly every statistical category in the process on Dec. 10. Among the highlights in the Urban Knights' 74-30 edge over the Silverswords in the final three quarters were 49 bench points led by career games from sophomore forward/center Alisha Wilson (26 points, 12 rebounds) and freshman guard Madison Johnson (23 points with seven triples).
LOOKING AHEAD
Prior to the end of the calendar year, ART U will start a stretch of five consecutive road games with an 11 a.m. tip-off against Holy Names in Oakland on Dec. 30.
