BELMONT, Calif. - No. 18 Azusa Pacific had little trouble with Academy of Art on Saturday, defeating the Urban Knights by a 88-53 score to improve to 10-2 overall and a PacWest-leading 5-0 in conference play.

Amayah Kirkman scored a career-high 19 points, finishing 5-for-10 from three point, while also grabbing five rebounds and recording two steals. Molly Whitmore scored 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the floor, and freshman Lauren Jones finished with a career-high 13 points. Alex Lowden, who is currently second in the PacWest in steals, finished with six on the day. On the glass, Kelly Heimburger and Erika Pickett each collected a team-high six rebounds in the contest. 

How It Happened: The game was never in doubt for the Cougars, as TyLee Manuel scored a layup on the contest's opening possession to put Azusa Pacific up 2-0, and the Cougars would hold the lead for the entirety of the game from that point on.

The Cougars' first double-digit lead of the game was at 16-6 with just over five minutes to play in the first quarter, and Azusa Pacific ended the opening period with a 26-15 lead. The Cougars stretched the lead to beyond 20 on a Kirkman three that made it 46-24 with 2:17 to go before halftime, and the margin at the intermission was 26, with the Cougars on top 53-27, which matched their largest lead of the first two quarters.

From the six minute mark in the third, Azusa Pacific maintained an advantage larger than 30 points for the remainder of the contest. The game's largest lead was 44, when Jones hit a three-pointer with just over five minutes to go in the fourth that put Azusa Pacific ahead 84-40.

By the Numbers: The Cougars forced the Urban Knights into 22 turnovers, which Azusa Pacific turned into a season-high 29 points off of turnovers. Academy of Art's 22 turnovers tied the season-high for turnovers committed by a Cougar opponent. Led by the double-digit scoring efforts of Kirkman and Jones, the Cougars' bench poured in a season-best 46 points, with every player on the Azusa Pacific roster scoring in the contest. In addition to career-high performances for Kirkman and Jones, Kayden Casey (6) and Erika Pickett (4) also scored career-highs. Of the Cougars' 36 made field goals, 25 were assisted on, as Paige Uyehara had eight assists, Heimburger had five, Lowden finished with four, and Pickett had three.

Up Next: The Cougars will play one more game before taking a break for Christmas, with a Monday afternoon game at Dominican (Dec. 19) scheduled to tip-off at 1:00 pm in San Rafael, Calif. The game can be watched live, right HERE.