Box Score AZUSA, Calif. – Academy of Art overcame the Cougars lead in the second half to claim a hard fought 69-66 win in a PacWest match-up between the preseasons top two teams.

The loss is the first of the season for Azusa Pacific within the friendly confines of the Felix Event Center.

A feisty Urban Knight defense harassed Azusa Pacific into a season high 24 turnovers which they converted into a 26-6 scoring edge in points off turnovers.  

In the opening minutes the Cougars raced out to a 12-3 lead as they held Academy of Art (10-5, 5-2 PacWest) to just one field goal in their first nine attempts. The Urban Knights brushed aside their early hole and they got within two points twice in the first frame but never took the lead.

Holding a 28-26 lead with 4:50 left in the stanza, Azusa Pacific scored seven unanswered points to push their lead back to nine points at 35-26. The final three points of the half went to the Urban Knights as the home team took a 35-29 lead into the break.

The early minutes of the second half belonged to the Urban Knights as they closed their deficit down to one point at 39-38 on a D'Andree Galipeau lay-up less than four minutes into the second half. However, the Cougars responded with seven consecutive points to up their advantage to 46-38.

Academy of Art took a 48-46 lead, their first of the game, on a jumper by Sha'Nice Storey with 10:43 remaining in the contest. Down 55-52, Azusa Pacific (9-6, 5-3) capped off an 8-0 scoring spurt with a Katie Powell three-pointer as they went in front 60-55 with over three minutes left. Moments later Miriam Zabinsky drained a shot from behind the arc to up the Cougars advantage to seven points at 64-57 with just under three minutes left.

From that point forward the visitors took control. A Storey three-pointer from well behind the three-point line gave the Urban Knights a 67-66 lead with 1:17 left. It was a lead they wouldn't relinquish. On the Cougars ensuing possession they turned it over. Academy of Art countered with a single point on a Zoie Sheng foul shot with 10 ticks left.

Trailing 68-66, Zabinsky drove to the basketball but her lay-up rattled out with five seconds left. The Cougars still had an opportunity moments later when the Urban Knight converted just one of two foul shots with two seconds left. However, the desperation inbounds pass couldn't be corralled for a clean three-point attempt as time expired.  

Kelly Hardeman led a foursome of Cougars players in double figures with a 15-point evening. The junior also grabbed 15 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season. Maggie Dumphy added her second double-double for the 2014-15 campaign by scoring 12 and corralling 12 rebounds. Zabisnky (14) and Powell (12) rounded out the double figure contributors for the Cougars.

Storey had a game high 22 points on the strength of a 5-for-11 shooting effort from behind the arc.