Game #15
ART U Urban Knights (9-5, 4-3 PacWest) at HPU Sharks (4-9, 0-5 PacWest)
Sunday, Jan. 8, 2022 at 3 p.m. HT
Honolulu – The Shark Tank
Live Stats | Live Video
ART U Game Notes 1-8-23

Game #16
ART U Urban Knights (9-5, 4-3 PacWest) at CUH Silverswords (7-8, 2-5 PacWest)
Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. HT
Honolulu – McCabe Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video
ART U Game Notes 1-10-23

Game #17
ART U Urban Knights (9-5, 4-3 PacWest) at UH Hilo Vulcans (8-2, 4-1 PacWest)
Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. HT 
Hilo, Hawaii – Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium
Live Stats | Live Video
ART U Game Notes 1-12-23

AIN'T NO VACATION
Winners in four of their past six contests overall, but victorious in each of their previous three Pacific West Conference battles, Academy of Art men's basketball returns to conference play as their extended road trip continues to the Hawaiian Islands where they will face off against a trio of opponents in Hawaii Pacific, Chaminade and UH Hilo beginning on Sunday. 

TIP-OFF
Sunday's showdown with the Sharks will be an afternoon matinee in Honolulu scheduled for 3 p.m. HT, while Tuesday's tip with the Silverswords and Thursday's clash with the Vulcans each get underway at 7:30 p.m. HT. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHTS' QUEST
Academy of Art went 2-1 over three contests in their return to play from the holiday break, once again eclipsing the 90-point barrier with a dominant second half in a 97-82 win over HNU, marking the second-straight season and third time in program history that ART U has scored 90 points in consecutive games. They followed that outing by scoring their second-fewest points in a victory thanks to a 54-52 win over Fresno Pacific, trailing only the 48 points they scored against NDNU during a 48-47 win on Dec. 8, 2018. Most recently they had their second three-game winning streak of the season snapped at the hands of NCAA Division I Saint Mary's, despite knocking down 51 percent of their shots in the first frame while leading nearly halfway through the period. All eight Urban Knights to see game action contributed points, with two finishing in double-digit scoring led by the 13 from senior forward Mike Asante, which he paired with a team-high seven rebounds.

For his efforts, Asante was named the PacWest Defender of the Week on Jan. 4 for the first time in his career, as he averaged 9.3 rebounds (7.7 defensive rebounds), 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steal per game. The Toronto native led the Urban Knights on the defensive end in a close 54-52 victory over Fresno Pacific in game two of the week, posting his new ART U career high in blocks with four which is tied for the third-most in a PacWest game this season. Additionally, he collected a season-best two steals while producing his first double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds (all on the defensive end). It is the second PacWest Defender of the Week award for the Urban Knights this season after senior guard Klay Brown collected the honor on Nov. 21, and it is also the second consecutive year that ART U has had multiple Defender of the Week honors, as they are nearly halfway to the five Urban Knights from last season (seven total awards).

After winning the first four games of the season for the first time in program history (all opponents in the CCAA), ART U had dropped three of their next four games including their first two PacWest contests against Point Loma and Concordia. This is the first time since 2018-19 that ART U was defeated in its first two PacWest games, with the losses occurring to the same two teams, however that season culminated in ART U's first ever PacWest tournament appearance. While the Knights' second three-game winning streak of the season was snapped at the hands of Saint Mary's, their only game against a DI opponent this year, ART U has still won four of their past six contests with the only other loss coming at the hands of Biola who sits second place in the PacWest. Two of those victories came as consecutive 90-point performances including their largest point total of the season (98) against Biola. Six of the nine wins have come away from home (4-4; 2-0 on neutral site), five have been by double-digits (SFSU, CSUEB, Chico, BU, HNU), five have been second-half comeback efforts (SFSU, CSUEB, SMU, CUH, FPU), and two have been double-digit comebacks (SFSU, CUH). Only two games have the Knights never trailed (Chico, BU) and one they never led (STAN). Additionally, they are 1-0 against ranked opponents this season, with the win coming against then No. 19 Saint Martin's.

KNIGHT WATCH
ART U has scored 75 or more points in seven of their 14 contests this year (7-0, 85.3 ppg in those games), twice topping 80 points in consecutive games before recently reaching the fifth-most (98 at BU) and sixth-most (97 at HNU) points in program history. However they have fallen below the 75 point mark seven times including four straight games prior to Biola with two wins in such contests (CUH & FPU; 2-5, 64.3 ppg), leading to an overall season average of 74.8 ppg. ). The current scoring margin of +4.9 would be an ART U program record, which is lifted by their pair of 20-point wins including a 27-point victory over Chico, their largest win since defeating UH Hilo 81-48 on Feb. 13 of last season. Shooting from downtown is crucial, with ART U averaging 7.6 triples per game at a clip of 36.0 percent (107-for-297), though they have shot 25.0 percent or less in four of the past five games. Ball movement has been key, recording double-digit assists in each of their first six games (14.7 apg in those games) and 11 of 14 total games (13.3 apg), with their season-best of 23 against BU ranking fifth-most in program history. With a total of 186 assists, ART U has assisted on 47.4 percent (186-of-392) of their total baskets this year. 

In comparison opponents are shooting 40.9 percent (343-for-838) shooting from the field, nine times allowing opponents to shoot above 40 percent for the game (high of 50.0 percent vs. SMC). Recently FPU was held to just 28.8 percent shooting from the field, the second-lowest percentage ART U has held an opponent to in program history (previous: 27.8 percent at HNU, Jan. 6, 2009). ART U defends the perimeter well, as opponents have made double-digit triples in just four of 14 games, though they have connected on over 30.0 percent of their attempts from deep a total of eight times. Six times has ART U totaled double-digit steals, once again reaching the mark with 10 against SMC, with a season-high of 15 against Sonoma State. That leads to a current season average of 9.6 per game (135 total), and they are currently on pace to finish with 270 by season's end (would be the second-most in ART U history). In the battle on the boards, ART U has snatched 551 rebounds (39.4 per game) to the 512 of their opponents (36.6 per game), six times grabbing 40 or more with their season-best coming against PLNU by snatching an eye-popping 52 rebounds. Currently they are on pace to finish with 1,102 rebounds, which would be the third-most in school history. 

Not only does senior guard Klay Brown's 13.6 ppg lead the Knights in scoring, he also leads ART U in assists (2.9 apg) and blocks (0.9 bpg, sixth in PacWest). Meanwhile, graduate student guard Will Balata and senior forward Mike Asante both reach double-digit scoring, with Balata chipping in 11.8 ppg while Asante adds 10.9 ppg. Falling just shy of that mark is graduate student guard Deang Deang (9.4 ppg) and junior forward Latrell Williams (8.6 ppg). Asante and Williams clean up the glass for ART U, as Asante's 7.1 rpg leads the Knights and is fifth in the PacWest, while Williams' 6.7 rpg is sixth and Brown's 6.3 rpg is 10th. Brown's 2.9 apg (40 total) fall just outside the PacWest top 10, while sophomore guard Rodney Munson ads 2.6 apg. Defensively, Brown has notched multiple steals in all but three games (high of four three times) for a team-best average of 2.4, leading the PacWest in steals average and total steals (33). Meanwhile, Munson trails shortly behind with 1.9 per game (26 total), both marks fourth in the PacWest, while Deang is fifth with 1.8 per game (23 total).

CHUMMING THE WATERS
Hawaii Pacific has collected just one win in the past 10 contests, with the victory coming in non-conference action against Champion Christian College while five of the other losses have come in PacWest action against Chaminade, UH Hilo, Point Loma and Concordia. Outside of rebounding in which they rank fourth in the conference (36.9 rpg), HPU is found at or near the bottom of most statistical categories, including slotting eighth in scoring margin at -3.1. Three Sharks sit in double-digit scoring led by the 15.6 ppg from Marquis Moore, ninth in the PacWest, while Melo Sanchez chips in 11.5 and Mason Landdeck adds 10.9. Moore is a dual threat by also snatching a team-best 7.2 rpg, fourth in the PacWest, while Landdeck's 2.6 helpers per game are tops on the squad. Though Academy of Art has won each of the past three meetings against HPU including sweeping last year's season series, the Sharks still hold the edge in the all-time series 14-7. 

SILVER-SWORD IN THE STONE
Also winners in four of their past six games is Chaminade, earning victories in their first two games of the Hoops in Hawaii Holiday Classic including a 107-97 win over No. 18 Saint Martin's, then subsequently dropping their next two with a loss to the Vulcans in PacWest play. Most recently they returned to the win column with defeats of Champion Christian, then Concordia in conference action. The Silverswords are among the top scorers in the conference with their average of 83.5 ppg ranking second, however they also allow the second-most points across the PacWest by allowing an average of 78.9 ppg (+4.5 scoring margin ranks sixth). CUH also boasts one of the hottest shooting hands by hitting 46.7 percent of their attempts (second in PacWest), lining up for a key battle against ART U's top-ranked opponent FG percentage (40.9 percent). Additionally, they are the best shooting team on the perimeter by connecting on 41.3 percent of their attempts from downtown. Not only is Isaac Amaral-Artharee's 18.3 ppg leading Chaminade, it ranks fourth across all scorers in the PacWest, while Ross Reeves adds 17.5 ppg (seventh in PacWest). Also reaching double figures is Raazhel Watkins (11.7) and Braden Olsen (10.8), while Jalen Brittain pulls down a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game. This will be the second meeting of the season between CUH and ART U, with Academy of Art claiming victory last time by a 74-71 final, though Chaminade still leads the all-time series 20-5. 

ACTIVE VULCAN-OES
Though they are most recently coming off a loss at the hands of PacWest leader Point Loma, that defeat snapped a previous six-game winning streak for UH Hilo in which they had a streak of four consecutive games scoring 90 points or more (one contest over 100 points against Chaminade). Hilo's top scoring offense in the PacWest (87.2 ppg) help them negate their ninth-place ranking in opponent scoring (allow 77.0 ppg), as they remain second in the conference with a +10.2 scoring margin (one of two teams in positive double-digit scoring margin). The Vulcans are the only team to shoot better than Chaminade, connecting on 51.5 percent of their attempts from the field thus far in the campaign. However, defense is where they lack by allowing opponents to shoot the eighth-best clip in the league (44.1 percent). Meanwhile, they fall second only to the Silverswords in three-point shooting, one of only two teams to knock down 40 percent of their attempts from deep at 40.2 percent. Leading the team and third in the PacWest in scoring with 19.6 ppg is Carlos Ramsey Jr., while Darren Williams (17.9) and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones (17.6) rank fifth and sixth in the conference, respectively. Also cleaning up the glass is Tait-Jones, as his 8.7 rpg is second in all the PacWest, while Williams' 5.5 assists per game leads all players in the conference. Academy of Art has won four of the past five meetings against UH Hilo, with a victory on Feb. 13 in the second of the two matchups to take the slight advantage in the all-time series, 10-9. 

KNIGHTS IGNITE HOT START, SAINT MARY'S COUNTERS FOR WIN
Matched up against a NCAA Division I opponent for the first time in the 2022-23 campaign, Academy of Art men's basketball started hot by hitting over half of their looks from the floor while holding an early lead over Saint Mary's. Despite forcing double-digit turnovers and playing tough defense, SMC bounced back in the second half to capture the 84-64 win on Tuesday. 

LOOKING AHEAD
After six games on the road the Urban Kngihts will finally return to friendly confines, as they begin a four-game homestand with a couple of rematches against Southern California PacWest opponents in Concordia and Point Loma beginning on Jan. 19.