SAN FRANCISCO – The Chaminade University women's basketball team put a major scare into Pacific West Conference leader Academy of Art but fell short of the upset in a 78-69 decision Saturday at Kezar Pavillion.
Lilia Maio tallied her second double-double in three games for the Silverswords with an 18-point, 12-rebound effort while
Sabrina Angle scored a career-high 16 points in defeat.
Courtney Kaupu and
Carissa McBride added 11 each with Kaupu dishing out a season-high six assists and McBride pulling down eight rebounds.
The loss dropped Chaminade to 4-12 overall and 4-8 in the PacWest.
Regina Camera led the Urban Knights with 18 points, keeping them a game ahead of California Baptist in first place of the conference standings at 12-1 (17-6 overall).
Chaminade led for much of the first quarter as Kaupu scored all of points in the period with the 'Swords holding a 20-16 lead after the game's first 10 minutes.
Sha'Nice Storey would give ART U its first lead (26-23) since early in the first quarter with her 3-pointer two minutes into the second before the Silverswords reclaimed a 35-33 lead on a pair of Maio free throws with 3:49 left until the half. But the Urban Knights closed the half on an 8-0 run with Camera scoring six of them to give ART U a 42-35 lead at the break.
The Urban Knights began the third quarter by building their lead to 14 before Chaminade rallied via a 14-3 run ending with Angle burying consecutive triples to cut the deficit to 57-54 with a minute left in the period.
ART U opened the fourth as it did in the third by building the lead to double-digits. Layups by Maio and
Kristle Henry brought the 'Swords to within seven on three occasions but they could get no closer as the Urban Knights hung on down the stretch for the win.
Chaminade held ART U to a 38.7 percent clip from the floor while hitting just under 44 percent themselves. Neither team particularly dominated the stat sheet with ART U holding slight advantages in field goals made (29-25), free throws made (17-16) and rebounds (43-40) while Chaminade held the assists edge (17-15). Both teams hit three triples. But the 'Swords committed 22 turnovers to ART U's 13 although they outscored the Urban Knights 20-11 from the bench.
The Silverswords face Holy Names in Oakland on Monday.
