Box Score
Belmont, CA – Academy of Art University (3-6) fell to undefeated Concordia University, St. Paul (9-0) Friday in their first game of the NDNU Classic, 97-52. Junior forward
Verity Peets led AAU with 13 points, knocking down 5-11 shots and hitting all three of her free throws.
Although they came within 11 late in the first half, the Urban Knights fell behind 24-42 at the half and could not recover. AAU struggled in the second half as they allowed 55 points and were out rebounded 10-26 by the Golden Bears.
Despite receiving points from eight different players, and dishing out 13 assists as a team, AAU was unable to get enough of an offensive spark. The team shot just under 30 percent for the game and only 25 percent from behind the arc.
On the defensive side, the Urban Knights did not have an answer for the Golden Bears’ Maurika Hickman, who tallied 21 points and handed out six assists. Concordia scored 42 points in the paint and hit 39 of their 65 shots in the contest. In addition to Hickman, Gillian Bjerke notched 17 points for Concordia as she shot 7-9 from the field. Also for the Golden Bears, Jineen Willaims, pulled down eight rebounds and posted 10 points.
Urban Knight forward Jasmine English, who sat out most of 2008-09 with a knee injury, looked sharp as she had season highs in both rebounding with seven, and points with 12. The junior also recorded a block and a steal in her 21 minutes against the Golden Bears.
Tomorrow, Saturday December 19th, the Urban Knights will play in their second game of the NDNU Classic. They take on Cal State East Bay at 5 p.m. at Walter Gleason Gymnasium.