FRESNO, Calif. – Uniting for a truly memorable finish, Academy of Art women's basketball turned a three-point deficit into a 64-53 triumph with a 14-0 run in the final seven minutes of Saturday's rematch with Fresno Pacific inside the Special Events Center. ART U matched the program record for fewest points allowed in a quarter, holding the Sunbirds to just five in the final frame while four Urban Knights finished scoring in double figures. The victory, coupled with Concordia's loss to No. 14 Azusa Pacific tonight, elevate Academy of Art to finish the regular season third in the Pacific West Conference standings.

"We did a good job of not settling today," said Head Coach Krystle Evans. "We moved the ball around and trusted each other to find the open person."

Making its first two baskets of the game then stealing a pair of possessions in the first three minutes, ART U was off to a strong start. Conversions by junior guard Lauryn Manns and freshman guard Brooke Rodgers pushed four-point leads, but the contest continued to oscillate back and forth until a 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the opening quarter put FPU ahead 18-16.

Tied once again after redshirt freshman guard Kaila Murrell hit a jumper 12 seconds into the second quarter, the game continued to move back and forth as freshman guard Milan Tuttle and Rodgers scored on consecutive possessions for a 25-22 advantage before things were tied for the fifth time at 28-28 heading into halftime.

A fast and furious start to the second half had Manns score off a steal, freshman forward/center Alisha Wilson provide an offensive putback, Manns add free throws, and Tuttle convert in the paint for an 8-0 run out of the break. Over a four-minute stretch that followed, however, the Sunbirds hit a pair of triples as they executed an 18-4 surge to go up by six. The last minute of the third belonged to Academy of Art though with freshman forward/center Christy Ojide cleaning up the glass for a putback and Manns blocking a shot before scoring in transition on the other end.

Much like the second quarter, the fourth began with Murrell's bucket tying the game at 48-48 once again 12 seconds in. FPU appeared in control up 53-50, but the seven minutes that followed almost certainly came as a shock. Wilson began with another putback then locked in defensively with her team as high-percentage looks came for junior guard Chanel Stuart, Wilson, and Rodgers as the momentum shifted. Tuttle had the next four points and soon Manns' jumper in the final two minutes wrapped up a 14-0 run that ultimately limited Fresno Pacific to just five points in the fourth quarter as ART U won going away 64-53.

"Holding FPU to five points in the fourth quarter showed the true character of our team," Evans said. "We were relentless with our on-ball defense and did a great job of rebounding on both sides of the ball."

Academy of Art ends the regular season on a five-game win streak while achieving the program's highest PacWest win total (13-5) since 2015-16 and also matching the program's highest overall win total (16-9) since 2016-17. Tuttle's 14 points led the way while Manns added 13 points plus three steals and three assists. Along with three steals of her own, Wilson's 13 points (6-for-12 shooting from the field) and 12 rebounds composed her 13th double-double of the season and Rodgers was the fourth Knight to score in double figures with 11 points as well as seven rebounds.

Still in a battle with Hawaii Pacific for the final PacWest Tournament spot, Fresno Pacific drops to 8-14 overall and 5-12 in conference play. Anisa Rillo finished with a team-high 14 points while Sara Lunqvist provided a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

With the regular season now complete, the ART U now turns its attention to the PacWest Conference Championship Tournament hosted by Fresno Pacific on Mar. 3-5. In the first round, third-seeded Academy of Art. Tickets are available here.

"We've battled through COVID, injuries, and never dropped our heads during this five-game win streak, most of it we only had seven players," Evans said. "To go into the PacWest Tournament with this type of momentum, it gives us the confidence needed to compete at a high level. We have six freshmen and our program hasn't been to the tournament since the 2015-2016 season. We understand the magnitude of this moment and are grateful for the opportunity to compete."