SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.- A strong fourth quarter helped propel the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds to victory Friday evening in San Francisco as they took down the Academy of Art Urban Knights 66-57.

"It was a really impressive and gritty performance from our team on the road tonight," said head coach Tim Beauregard. "This group continues to play for each other whether we are up or down and it's allowed us to stay very consistent in our game plan throughout the swings of a game." 

Beauregard continued "ART U presents very unique challenges with their size and their defensive scheme, yhave to play well to have a chance, and I'm glad we did tonight." 

The game started with a slow pace. Academy of Art struck first with a layup, but the Sunbirds quickly responded with Bre Hurt leading the charge in the paint. Hurt's persistence on the boards, along with a putback layup, allowed the Sunbirds to gain momentum early.

The Sunbirds struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 1-of-12 on three-point attempts, but Anisa Rillo's hustle in securing offensive rebounds created second-chance opportunities. Defensively, Fresno Pacific forced nine turnovers, including a key steal by Rillo that set up a fast-break layup. Lydia Manu provided a spark off the bench, contributing a smooth mid-range jumper to close the gap after the Urban Knights hit two quick three-pointers.

The Sunbirds ended the quarter slightly ahead, largely thanks to their inside presence, scoring ten points in the paint. They also benefited from ART U's offensive struggles, as the Urban Knights shot just 5-for-14 from the field.

The second quarter featured a back-and-forth battle, with both teams exchanging the lead multiple times. ART U dominated early, using their size to secure offensive rebounds and convert second-chance points. Despite this, the 'Birds countered with better ball movement, resulting in a corner three from Manu, assisted by Jasmine Heu.

Hurt took over offensively in this stretch, scoring a key layup and drawing fouls on consecutive possessions, converting 5-of-6 free throws. Jayla Green also stepped up with solid interior defense and grabbed a critical offensive rebound that she turned into a putback. The Sunbirds pushed the pace, scoring 7 fast-break points led by Manu and Hurt.

Defensively, the Sunbirds forced turnovers and limited Academy of Art to just one successful three-pointer in the quarter. A steal by Rillo late in the quarter led to a fast-break opportunity, but her layup attempt was blocked, keeping the game tied momentarily. Fresno Pacific's discipline at the free-throw line, however, gave them a slight edge heading into halftime up 27-26. 

The third quarter saw the intensity pick up as both teams traded runs. The Urban Knights came out aggressively, scoring eight quick points in the paint. The Sunbirds countered with efficient post play from Hurt, who scored on two straight possessions after catching clean entry passes from Rillo.

Rillo ignited the Sunbirds' offense with a crucial three-pointer midway through the quarter, giving her team a brief lead. However, Academy of Art responded with a run of their own.

Fresno Pacific regained their composure late in the quarter. A hustle play by  Green, diving for a loose ball, led to an outlet pass and an easy bucket for Manu. Though the Sunbirds struggled with turnovers, five in the quarter, they stayed aggressive, drawing fouls and converting from the free-throw line. The quarter ended 44-44, setting up a dramatic fourth quarter finish. 

The Sunbirds erupted in the final quarter, outscoring the Urban Knights 22-13 to secure the win. Fresno Pacific's defense tightened, holding ART U to just five field goals and forcing six turnovers in the period. Key blocks from Hurt and Heu disrupted the Urban Knight's rhythm, while Fresno Pacific capitalized on the fast break.

Offensively, the Sunbirds found their stride, with Manu hitting a big three-pointer to extend the lead. Hurt continued her dominant performance, driving hard to the basket and drawing fouls. She hit 4-of-4 free throws late in the quarter to seal the game. Bench contributions were also significant, with Kira Wilmurt facilitating ball movement and Trinity Tolbert converting critical free throws under pressure.

Academy of Art attempted to mount a comeback, but missed three-pointers and turnovers stifled their efforts. The Sunbirds controlled the tempo in the closing minutes, using long possessions to protect their lead and winning 66-57. 

"We have to figure out ways to start games better but our ability to continue to fight and trust our defense has been impressive all year, we are learning valuable lessons in these  physical, and close PacWest battles," said Beauregard. 

"I'm looking forward to see how much better we can become as our shooting inevitably improves, but finding a way to win is the most important thing and we've been able to do that."

Fresno Pacific will head to Santa Barbara for a rematch with the Wesmont Warriors on Wednesday, December 18th at 1pm with the men's game following at 3:00pm.  Both games will be streamed live on PacWest Network. 

SUNBIRD SOCIAL 

Twitter - @fpusunbirds 
Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
Facebook - /FPUsunbirds 
 

#TeamFPU