Game #9
ART U Urban Knights (5-3, 0-2 PacWest) at CUH Silverswords (3-3, 1-1 PacWest)
Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 at 3:30 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats and Video
ART U Game Notes 12-10-22

HOMEBOUND
Still searching for its first Pacific West Conference victory of the 2022-23 campaign, the defending PacWest Tournament Champions Academy of Art men's basketball gets to host its first conference matchup of the season when they welcome Chaminade in the only matchup of the week this Saturday. 

TIP-OFF
It's an afternoon tip time for Saturday's meeting with the Silverswords, with the ball in the air beginning at 3:30 p.m. 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.

KNIGHT WATCH
Academy of Art started 0-2 in PacWest play for the first time since 2018-19, falling to the same two teams they did that season in Point Loma and Concordia, however that year culminated in ART U's first ever PacWest Tournament appearance. The Knights kept PacWest Preseason Player of the Year Kaden Anderson in check during their matchup, limiting him to just 11 points, but a second-half 9-0 run helped the Sea Lions escape with a victory. Neither Academy of Art or Concordia built more than a three-possession lead in their clash, trading shots back-and-forth all game long, but a pair of late triples for CUI lifted them to a 77-71 victory in Irvine. The battle featured a total of 14 ties and 11 lead changes, as well as 19 points from graduate student guard Will Balata and the Urban Knights once more reaching the double-digit assist mark (13). 
 
After winning the first four games of the season for the first time in program history (all opponents in the CCAA), ART U has dropped three of their past four games including their first two PacWest contests against Point Loma and Concordia. However, the one win in that span came against formerly No. 19 Saint Martin's (first win over ranked opponent in 2022). Four of the five wins have come away from home (2-0 on neutral site), three have been by double-digits (SF State, CSUEB, Chico), three have been second-half comeback efforts (SFSU, CSUEB, SMU), and one has been a double-digit comeback (SFSU). In only one game each have the Knights never trailed (Chico) or never led (STAN).
 
ART U has scored 75 or more points in five of their eight contests this year (80.4 ppg in those games), twice topping 80 points in consecutive games with a high of 85 against CSUEB. However they have fallen below the 75 point mark three times including each of their past two games (STAN, PLNU, CUI) while averaging 67.0 points in such contests, leading to a total season average of 75.4 ppg. In four of eight games ART U has shot above 40.0 percent from the field, three of those coming consecutively with a high of 55.0 percent (33-for-60) against Chico. Shooting from downtown has been crucial, making an average of 8.8 threes per game with an overall three-point percentage of 39.8 percent (70-for-176). Ball movement has been key, recording double-digit assists in each of their first six games (14.7 apg) and seven of eight total games, with a season-best of 19 against Chico (only seven against PLNU). With a total of 108 assists (13.5 apg), ART U has assisted on 37.2 percent (108-of-290) of their total baskets this year.
 
Not only does senior guard Klay Brown's 13.5 ppg lead the Knights in scoring (double-figures in five of eight games), he also leads ART U in rebounds (7.3 per game, sixth in PacWest). His ball movement has been supreme, recording four or more assists in four of eight games for an average of 3.1 apg (ninth in PacWest). Meanwhile, Balata also reaches double-digit scoring with 13.1 ppg, and has been money from downtown where he shoots 63.6 percent (14-for-22). Meanwhile, the duo of senior forward Mike Asante (9.7 ppg) and sophomore forward Jamal Fuller (9.3 ppg) both fall just shy of that mark. Much of Fuller's damage has come largely off the bench, shooting a team-best 57.4 percent (27-for-47) shooting from the floor. Defensively, Brown has notched at least two steals in all but one game (high of four twice) for a team-best average of 2.6 (18 total), which is the best mark in the PacWest. Sophomore guard Rodney Munson trails shortly behind with 2.3 per game (18 total), and also holds the team-high mark in assists with 3.4 per game (27 total) to rank sixth in all of the PacWest.

CHOPPY WATERS FOR CHAMINADE
It has been an even split to the start the season for Chaminade, going 1-1 in both the PacWest/CCAA Challenge and the Hoops in Hawai'i Thanksgiving Classic followed by a win in the PacWest opener over Hawaii Pacific. Unfortunately, most recently they came out on the losing end of a wire-to-wire contest with UH Hilo 87-84, just missing a game-tying shot in the closing moments of regulation. Despite boasting the second-best scoring average in the conference at 78.7 ppg, second only to UH Hilo and two spots above ART U, they have recorded the worst scoring defense (allowing 81.3 ppg) leading to a -2.7 scoring margin (third-worst in PacWest). The perimeter game will be an area to watch in the matchup with the Knights, as three-point shooting has been key thus far for Chaminade knocking down 38.2 percent of their looks from deep. Four Silverswords are averaging double-digit scoring with the 18.2 ppg from Ross Reeves at the top, which is also fourth-most in the PacWest. Meanwhile, the 17.0 ppg from Isaac Amaral-Artharee trails shortly behind for sixth-most in the conference. Among the top rebounders in the PacWest is Jalen Brattain, as his 7.7 rpg lead Chaminade and are the fourth-most in the PacWest, while the 4.8 apg from Braden Olsen are second-most. Last year's season series saw ART U take the first meeting on Dec. 19, 2021 before Chaminade got revenge on their home floor on Jan. 17, helping the Silverswords maintain the edge in the all-time series 20-4. 

ART U FIGHTS BACK, BUT LATE 3-POINTERS LIFT CUI TO VICTORY
Both Academy of Art men's basketball and Concordia traded shots all night during a Pacific West Conference clash, with neither team building more than a three-possession lead throughout the whole game, but foul trouble for ART U combined with a late 8-0 CUI run was the difference maker as Concordia squeaked out a 77-71 victory on Saturday. 

LOOKING AHEAD
The homestand continues for Academy of Art, as the Knights host two of the top teams in all of the PacWest starting with Azusa Pacific on Saturday, Dec. 17 followed by Biola on Monday, Dec. 19.