GAME #23
ART U Urban Knights (5-19, 2-12 PacWest) vs. DUC Penguins (3-11, 3-21 PacWest)
Friday, Feb. 25, 2011 at 7:30 PM
San Rafael, CA - Clonan Rec Center
Live Video
Live Audio
Twitter Updates
Game Notes
KNIGHTS AND PENGUINS MATCH UP THIS WEEK
Academy of Art University men's basketball will be on the road for the final time this Friday. Facing Dominican once again, the Urban Knights look to close out their 2010-11 season strong.
OPENING TIP
Clonan Rec Center is the site of this week's lone game on Friday, February 25th. ART U and DUC will tipoff at 7:30 PM following the women's game. Live Audio and Twitter Updates will be available.
KNIGHT WATCH
After being tied with Chaminade in blocks per game last week, the Knights have now edged out their opponents in the category. ART U has 92 rejections over 24 games this season. Offensively, freshman forward William Overton, Jr. and junior forward Keith Davis were at it again this past week. Davis earned his eighth PacWest Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll selection while Overton, Jr. reached 20 points for the seventh time this season against BYU-Hawaii. With solid scoring and rebounding production versus Dominican last time out, junior center Hunter Hayden will try to repeat his performance. Hayden, who currently ranks sixth in the PacWest in rebounding, had 10 points and six rebounds against DUC on Feb. 3.
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Following a 73-64 victory over ART U in San Francisco, Dominican went on to dramatically top Notre Dame de Namur two days later on Feb. 5. Since then, the Penguins have mirrored the Urban Knights with losses to the four PacWest teams among the West Region rankings. DUC most recently fell to Chaminade 69-47 on Feb. 19. The Penguins' leading scorer in 10 of 14 conference games, center Killian Larson has the highest field goal percentage (.573) and ranks fourth in scoring (16.2 points per game) over PacWest games only. He is also in the Top 10 in rebounding (6.7 per game) and has made the PacWest Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll seven weeks in a row.
MEN'S BASKETBALL HANGS TOUGH AGAINST #8 BYU-HAWAII
The eighth best team in the West Region entered Kezar Pavilion last Saturday, but ART U was up to the challenge. Remaining close throughout the game, Academy of Art University was within five points late, but BYU-Hawaii managed to pull out a 73-64 victory in the end. Overton, Jr. and Davis led the way again, combining to score 32 points that afternoon.
In the first half, the Urban Knights used strong defense as well as a timely 3-pointer by sophomore guard Ivan "B.J." Prema, Jr. to execute a 13-2 run. The teams were tied 17-17 and senior forward Jonathan Burnett's energy rebounding the ball on the offensive end kept ART U in stride with the Seasiders. A brief response by BYUH had the visitors up 39-33 at the half; not an insurmountable margin in the slightest.
Though the lead became 15 at one point in the second half, freshman center Noah Koné-Nelson guided the comeback charge. A Knights' fastbreak saw Koné-Nelson sprint downcourt and slam down a dunk with two hands to ignite the home crowd. After Koné-Nelson put in two free throws a short time later, Academy of Art went on a quick 5-0 bust and was within five points with 3:42 left. BYU-Hawaii would prevail in the end, but ART U had to be proud of its effort against one of the West Region's elite teams.
LOOKING AHEAD
Academy of Art University's final game of the season has them facing Notre Dame de Namur on Thursday, Mar. 3. This contest will be Knight of the Living Red - Homecoming 2011 and tips off at 7:30 PM inside Kezar Pavilion following the women's game.
