SAN FRANCISCO – The Fresno Pacific women's basketball team returned to its' winning ways on Saturday afternoon, defeating Academy of Art 89-73 in PacWest road action. The Sunbirds improve to 11-4 on the season with the win, and they have now won six of their last seven league games. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: FPU 89, Academy of Art 73   
Records: FPU (11-4, 7-2 PacWest), AAU (2-10, 1-8 PacWest)
Location: Kezar Pavilion | San Francisco   
Series: AAU leads 7-3
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Ashley Cross and Bree Alvarez combined for 13 points over the first six minutes, keeping the 'Birds in a back-and-forth battle with their hosts.  
• The Urban Knights failed to force an FPU turnover for the first quarter, allowing the Blue and Orange to gain a slight 23-21 edge at quarter's end.
• Cross came away with two steals that led to back-to-back fast breaks, giving the Sunbirds an 8-0 run to open the second quarter.
• FPU put the foot on the gas in the second quarter, carrying a 12-point lead into the intermission.  
• The Sunbirds never let up in the second half, going up by as many as 28 midway through the fourth quarter.
 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
• Cross finished with a team-high 20 points, while Cassie Pisik turned in her fifth double-double of the year with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
• Jessica Malazarte gave the Sunbirds 17 points, while adding eight assists and grabbing five rebounds.     
• Alvarez and Rachel Berry each went for ten points to give the 'Birds five players in double-figures, with the latter collecting six rebounds.
• Urban Knight guard Lily Perkins recorded a game-best 23 points, while Ines Medina tallied a double-double.
• FPU once again won the turnover battle, forcing 20 and committing a season-low seven.
• Both teams shot better than 40% from the floor, but FPU hit twice as many threes as their AAU counterparts.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• Cross' 20-point performance is the seventh for an FPU player this season.  
• Pisik has led the Sunbirds in rebounding ten times so far this year.
• After dropping the first seven all-time meetings, FPU has now won three straight against the Urban Knights.     
   
SOCIAL:
• Twitter - @fpusunbirds
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUathletics
 
UP NEXT:
• The Sunbirds return home on Tuesday evening, when they host Dominican in a key battle among top-four teams in the PacWest. Tipoff from the Special Events Center is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.