Game #9
ART U Urban Knights (2-6, 1-1 PacWest) vs. Biola Eagles (5-5, 1-1 PacWest)
Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.
La Mirada, Calif. – Chase Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video

Game #10
ART U Urban Knights (2-6, 1-1 PacWest) vs. Concordia Golden Eagles (3-5, 1-1 PacWest)
Monday, December 18, 2023 at 1 p.m.
Irvine, Calif. – CU Arena
Live Stats | Live Video

TWO SETS OF EAGLES UP NEXT FOR ACADEMY OF ART
Fresh off its first Pacific West Conference victory of the season, Academy of Art women's basketball now turns its attention to a pair of Southern California opponents with a trip to Biola and Concordia finishing the calendar year.

TIP-OFF
The Urban Knights make their first conference road trip to Biola this Saturday, Dec. 16, tipping off at 5:30 p.m. from Chase Gymnasium in La Mirada. Two days later on Monday, Dec. 18, it will be a 1 p.m. start for ART U in Irvine against Concordia inside CU Arena. 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.

KNIGHT WATCH
Academy of Art, who has risen to third in the PacWest in blocks per game (3.1) while ranking fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.311), carries a balanced roster with now six Urban Knights averaging 7.0 or more points per game paced by sophomore guard Alba Rovira Ayuso (11.5 points per game, 15th in PacWest). All but one Knight have double-digit assist totals with Rovira Ayuso and freshman guard Lucia Revenga atop the list, averaging 1.9 apiece with the latter adding 1.9 steals per game (12th in PacWest) just behind freshman guard Anna Fornells' 2.0 steals per contest (ninth in PacWest). That pair is combining for 19.0 points per game followed by junior forward/center Christy Ojide's 8.5 points per contest which she has combined with 6.4 rebounds (10 th in PacWest) and 1.4 blocks per game (third in PacWest). At 68 blocks in her career, Ojide has quickly ascended to second in ART U history, closing in on Katy Wade's program record (76). With a 3-pointer made in all eight of her games played thus far, freshman guard Maddie Morrow is averaging 2.1 triples per contest (fourth in PacWest) while supporting the conference's top three-point field goal percentage (.362).

THE BIOLA BIO
Alternating wins and losses to start the year, Biola has topped Alaska, Westcliff, Western Oregon, Simon Fraser, and Westmont while conversely falling to Cal State San Bernardino, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly Humboldt, Western Washington, and Concordia. Though the Eagles average the second-lowest scoring total offensively in the conference (55.7 points per game), they lead the PacWest with both the fewest points allowed by their opponents (59.3 points per game) and lowest opponent field goal percentage (.372). Laila Walker and Jordan Rabe share the team's top scoring average (10.8 points per game) and it is Rabe who checks in at third in the conference at 7.7 rebounds per contest. Though BU won the first four meetings with ART U, the Knights have taken the next four to even the all-time series at 4-4.

FLIGHT TO THE CONCORD(IA)S
An overtime loss to Cal State San Bernardino and 17-point victory over Alaska opened the season for Concordia and gave way to three consecutive defeats at the hands of Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal Poly Pomona, and Simon Fraser. Since then, CUI has bounced back with double-digit wins against Northwest Nazarene and Biola along with a loss to Point Loma. The Golden Eagles, who face Dominican on Dec. 16, are among the nation's top 30 in steals per game, leading the PacWest at 12.1 to date to support the conference's second-highest turnover margin (+4.1). Izzy Navarro's 15.5 points and 2.5 steals per game both pace the PacWest while Teagan Thurman's 11.8 points per contest (10th in PacWest) come with 8.2 rebounds per game (second in PacWest). Recent success for Concordia has brought them back to a 6-6 tie with the Urban Knights historically.

FIRST QUARTER RUN SEPARATES ART U FOR FIRST PACWEST WIN
Academy of Art women's basketball claimed its first Pacific West Conference victory of the season on Dec. 10 inside Kezar Pavilion as a 14-2 run at the end of the opening quarter featuring their trademark balanced offense led the Urban Knights to their eventual 70-51 triumph over Chaminade.

LOOKING AHEAD
With no games for the remainder of the calendar year, ART U will return to action on Jan. 2 when the Urban Knights host Hawaii Pacific from Kezar Pavilion.