Box Score

San Rafael, CA – After leading at halftime, the Academy of Art University basketball team just could not hold off a late comeback by Dominican on Friday night. Though the Penguins earned a 73-65 victory inside their home gym, Clonan Center, junior forward Keith Davis did have a game-high 25 points (including 7-of-8 from the free throw line) for an ART U team that shot over 80 percent from the foul line.

“The difference was execution in the last five minutes,” Head Coach Mark Sembrowich said. “[Dominican] made some plays and you have to take hat off to them. We didn't and that stung. They dropped two threes in that run and they haven't really been known as a three-point shooting team, but the kids had good looks and they stuck them. Our kids really played their butts off tonight and it's too bad that it didn't come out better. But our guys really played hard.”

Senior forward Jonathan Burnett was active early and scored the first ART U basket, but Dominican took an early 8-2 advantage. The Knights then responded with a run of their own. After putting in two free throws, Davis made a quick steal and got the line again to bring Academy of Art within two. A timely triple by freshman guard Czar Robotham soon made it a 10-9 game and ART U assumed its first lead of the game on a jumper by Davis to cap the 9-2 burst.

After Dominican went on a brief run, sophomore guard Ivan "B.J." Prema, Jr. knocked down a 3-pointer midway through the period to give the Knights another lead. With success at the foul line and strong rebounding, Academy of Art finished off an 11-3 run with a three-point play by freshman forward William Overton, Jr. It was a 36-27 score, a shade under the Knights' largest lead of the game, heading into the halftime locker room.

Early in the second half, the ART U advantage hovered around double digits as the Penguins showed intermittent signs of life. Though DUC was within seven at the 17:49 mark, senior forward Phillip Samuel hit a pair of free throws and Davis added a jumper to push back. The Knights were up by 11 points before a 9-1 surge by the Penguins had the game close once again.

As Dominican sniffed a comeback, Davis drained a big 3-pointer to keep ART U ahead with just under 11 minutes left and later another to make the score 55-51 with the Knights still in front. However, despite pairs of free throws made by Prema, Jr. and freshman center Noah Koné-Nelson, DUC was able to fight back and take a 63-62 with under three minutes to go on two threes by guard Mark Lewis. The Penguins did not relinquish the lead and went on to take the 73-65 decision.

The last time Davis scored 25 points was in his first game as an Urban Knight against Cal State East Bay on Nov. 16, 2010. The total he had against Dominican Friday night was his highest in a PacWest contest and came along with a 7-of-8 night from the foul line. He was also 2-for-4 from long range, adding five rebounds and two steals. Overton, Jr. and Robotham each had eight points apiece. The result puts the Knights at 5-20 overall, 2-13 in the PacWest.

Center Killian Larson finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead DUC. Off the bench, Lewis and center Connor Haysbert combined for 22 points and five rebounds. Dominican moves to 4-21 overall, 4-21 in PacWest play.

“We're going to get geared up for next Thursday and that's a big game for us,” Coach Sembrowich said. “By Monday we'll put tonight behind us and get ready for that final game.”

The one contest that now remains on the Academy of Art University men's basketball schedule takes place on Thursday, March 3. The Knights will play their 2011 Homecoming game against Notre Dame de Namur inside Kezar Pavilion. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM following the women's contest.