SAN DIEGO – Never trailing in their first battle with Point Loma of the season in Pacific West Conference action, Academy of Art men's basketball raced out to a double-digit lead within the first 10 minutes of the tip as ART U returned to both the win column and first place in the conference standings with a 95-86 defeat of PLNU.
"Tonight was a great bounce back performance," said ART U Head Coach Scott Waterman. "Leading the entire game on the road is something that doesn't happen often, but credit our guys' toughness and togetherness tonight. Even when Point Loma made runs, we weathered them and made runs of our own. After our tough loss Thursday, this showed our resilience and we can use it for momentum going into our next eight games."
For the fourth time in their last five games, the Urban Knights, now 14-6 overall and 10-3 in conference, scored 80 points or more with this contest being the highest in that span against the first place team in the conference standings going in. PLNU, who dropped to 15-7 overall and 10-4 in conference, gave the Knights a run for their money as they were within arms reach in the second half after almost erasing their first-half deficit.
In the opening frame, ART U jumped in front with an 8-0 run to begin the game, and held a double-digit lead for the majority of the half. Junior guard Rodney Munson began his hot night early, leading the team in points at the break (10). It was an overall team-effort in the first half, as every Knight knocked down a shot. The Sea Lions looked for an answer, but couldn't find one as the score showed 46-33 as the game went into halftime.
To start the second period, PLNU finally responded with an 8-0 run of their own that contained back-to-back triples from Tyce Paulsen to bring the Sea Lions within five. PLNU would climb back within just one point midway through the second half, but could never close the gap completely as the Knights managed to pull away once again and maintain their lead throughout not only the clutch, but the entire contest. As ART U built their lead back up to as many as 11 points, the game would settle with a 95-86 final in favor of Academy of Art.
As Munson found his season-high in points (22), he also ended just outside of the top 10 all-time of highest field goal percentage in a game for ART U as he went 9-for-11 (.819). Four other Knights would score double-digit points, as junior forward Jamal Fuller (16), junior forward Isaiah Williams (15), junior guard Allen Taylor (12), and senior forward Latrell Williams (11) all fell into the category.
Five members of the opposing squad scored double-digits of their own, as Tyce Paulsen led the way and found himself a career night, putting up 27 points for his Sea Lions as he knocked down 7-of-11 shots from distance. Jaden Matingou (17), Coby Barnes (15), Zack Paulsen (14), and Wynton Brown (10) all followed thereafter.
When the Urban Knights next take the floor, it will be upon arrival back at home on Thursday, Feb. 8 with a 7:30 tip-off for Academy of Art men's basketball's Black History Month Game at Laney College Gym in Oakland, Calif.
