SAN DIEGO - Everything was looking great for the Point Loma women's basketball team when it went up 19 points (60-41) with 1:40 left in the third quarter, but after that point nothing went right. Academy of Art went on a 27-7 run late in the game and won 90-82 over PLNU in overtime (Feb. 15).
 
The win allowed Academy of Art to remain atop the PacWest standings with a 16-1 record (21-6 overall). This was the first time PLNU has lost back-to-back games in 2016. The Sea Lions stayed sixth in the PacWest standings, two games ahead of seventh-place Hawaii Hilo, at 10-5 (17-7 overall). Coach Bill Westphal's career win total remains at 595.
 
The Sea Lions had it going offensively for the first three-quarters of the game to build a 60-41 lead. PLNU had turned the ball over only seven times to that point and was holding ARTU to 30 percent shooting, but then PLNU turned the ball over twice against the press and they seemed to lose all cohesion.
 
PLNU would shoot 8-for-24 (33 percent) the rest of the way while ARTU hit 12-of-24 shots from the field and went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in overtime to outscore PLNU 49-22 in the final 16 minutes and earn the win over a stunned Sea Lion squad.
 
"They picked up the full-court pressure and we panicked," said Point Loma head coach Bill Westphal. "We need to be more poised under pressure and that is on me. We are young and we aren't handling pressure well.
 
"My axiom is that it is a 40 minute game and you can't play well for 30 minutes and expect to win," added Westphal.
 
Madison West scored a game-high 27 points and hit five of the Sea Lions' nine 3-pointers. Alex Brunk and Roya Rustamzada both added double-doubles. Brunk scored 20 points to go along with 14 rebounds. It was her eighth double-double of the season. Rustamzada matched Brunk with 14 rebounds and also scored 14 points while adding five assists and three steals. It was her second straight double-double and seventh this season.
 
Regina Camera led three Urban Knights in double-figures with 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting. Sha'Nice Storey hit six of ARTU's nine 3-point baskets and finished with 23 points. Jasmin Guinn added a double-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.  
 
The PLNU women's basketball team will close out its home schedule this Friday, Feb. 19 against California Baptist. It will also be Senior Night for the Sea Lions. The game will tipoff at 5:30 p.m.