Game #25
ART U Urban Knights (14-10, 10-6 PacWest) vs. HPU Sharks (4-17, 1-14 PacWest)
Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 at 7 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym (no general admission)
Live Stats & Video

Game #26
ART U Urban Knights (14-10, 10-6 PacWest) vs. APU Cougars (14-7, 11-3 PacWest)
Monday, Feb. 21, 2022 at 1 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym (no general admission)
Live Stats & Video

LOCKED IN
Now on their second four-game winning streak of the season as the end of the regular season draws near, and having officially clinched their spot in the Pacific West Conference Championships with a 78-69 win over Holy Names on Feb. 11 that set the new program record for wins in a season, Academy of Art men's basketball returns to the court to battle both the bottom and top of the PacWest standings in Hawaii Pacific and Azusa Pacific, respectively. Though they have clinched their spot, every game remains critical for ART U as they look to hold their positioning prior to the conference tournament beginning on Mar. 2, as the battle against APU could be a potential tournament matchup. 

TIP-OFF
Both upcoming contests will take place from Walter Gleason Gym, with Thursday's action against HPU taking place at 7 p.m. while it will be a Monday matinee against the Cougars with tip time set for 1 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.

Thursday's game will be ALS Awareness Night. ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord. Patients in the later stages of the disease are totally paralyzed, yet in most cases, their minds remain sharp and alert. Every day, an average of 15 people are newly diagnosed with ALS - more than 5,600 people per year. As many as 30,000 Americans may currently be affected by ALS. To help support research, advocacy, nationwide care services, and ALS-specific clinical care, please click here to donate.

KNIGHT WATCH
ART U finished last week with an unblemished 3-0 record, posting a pair of victories over Holy Names first on Feb. 9 before repeating the feat again on Feb. 11, and finally ending the week with a victory in a rematch over UH Hilo on Feb. 13. Allowing just 48 points to the Vulcans would lead to Academy of Art's largest margin of victory this season (+38), this Urban Knights' defensive efforts tops the previous season-low of 52 points allowed against Dominican on Feb. 5, and is the fewest points allowed since they also allowed just 48 points surrendered to Notre Dame de Namur on Feb. 21, 2019. Work on the glass was among the ingredients to success for the Urban Knights, grabbing 50+ boards for the first time this season with a total of 55, which is now the second-most in a single game in program history (most: 58; vs. SFU 11/21/14). Junior forward Mike Asante was key for ART U, nearly averaging a double-double for the week with 15.7 ppg and 9.3 rpg, highlighted by his first double-double of the season in the second win over HNU where he dropped a career-best 23 points and snatched 11 boards. 

This season ART U is 13-3 when scoring above 75 points with an average 83.8 points per game in those contests (shot above 40 percent from the field in 14 of 16 occasions). Meanwhile the Knights are now 1-7 when scoring below that mark, averaging just 65.1 ppg (shooting below 40 percent from the floor in first five of those eight games). That split leads to an overall average of 77.6 ppg on the strength of 43.9 percent shooting from the field, with the points per game ranking third in the conference. Currently standing at 1,862 points on the season, the Knights current pace would have them end the year with 2,172 points, which would be a new program record (current record: 2,105, 2019-20), while the scoring average would also be the best in ART U history (current record: 76.9 ppg, 2020-21).

Defense has been a hallmark of ART U this season, reaching double-digit steals a total of 14 times with a season best of 20 against HPU on Jan. 15. Academy of Art is the only team in the PacWest to average double-digit steals per game, as they are fifth in all of NCAA DII with an average of 10.9 per game. Just as impressively, ART U's total of 229 steals is also fifth in the nation, and is also a new program record for single-season steals, topping the previous mark of 207 set in the 2016-17 campaign. At their current pace, the Urban Knights are projected to end the year with 305 total thefts. Additionally, their 378 forced turnovers are also a conference best while slotting eighth in the nation, forcing opponents to turn the ball over an average of 18.00 times per game which is seventh in NCAA DII. 

Other categories in which the Knights rank inside the top five in the PacWest include: scoring margin (fifth; +2.8), rebounds per game (third; 37.6), assists per game (fourth; 13.67), field goal percentage defense (third; 42.4 percent), free throw percentage (fourth; 73.5 percent), and turnover margin (second; +2.08).

When looking at stats from just ART U's 16 conference contests, Academy of Art posts the third-best scoring margin at +6.9 while averaging the most points per game in the conference at 79.8, while also pulling down the most rebounds per game with an average of 39.7. They remain at the top in steals per game thanks to an average of 10.94, while also appearing in the top five in the following categories: assists per game (third; 14.63), opponent field goal defense (first; 41.1 percent), free throw percentage (third; 74.7 percent), turnovers forced (first; 278), turnover margin (second; +2.44), opponent 3-point field goal percentage (second; 29.8 percent), and blocked shots per game (fourth; 2.75).

Leading the five Urban Knights that are averaging double-digit scoring is graduate student guard Deang Deang with 12.2 ppg on the strength of 49.7 percent shooting. Providing value with both his scoring and his work on the glass, sophomore forward Latrell Williams is averaging 10.1 ppg to pair with 7.8 rebounds per game, with a total of six double-doubles on the season. His rebounding average is tops on the Knights while also ranking second PacWest, though he is first in the conference in total rebounds with 186, a total that is now fourth-most in a single season in program history. The second-highest scoring average on the team is the 11.2 ppg from junior guard Klay Brown, while just behind him is graduate student guard Denny Slay with 10.8 ppg. Rounding out the group is graduate guard Joshua Bagley with an average of 10.7 ppg, while also slotting ninth in the PacWest for assists per game with an average of 3.2.

Sitting atop the PacWest in steals per game at 2.6 is Brown, who has recorded at least two steals in every game that he has tallied a swipe, and has totaled six in his last two games. Now up to a total of 59 on the season, Brown ranks ninth in the nation for steals per game while ranking fifth in total steals. Trailing behind Brown in steals per game are teammates Deang (third, 1.7 spg), Slay (fifth, 1.7 spg), and Williams (10th; 1.4 spg). Meanwhile, junior forward Cheickna Sissoko is eighth in blocks per game at 0.7, swatting away a season-high five would-be shot takers during the win over Chaminade, the most in a single PacWest game this season. 

KNIGHTS' QUEST
Helping the Knights start 2-0 for the first time since the 2015-16 season was the duo of redshirt junior guard Christian Popoola Jr. and Williams as the two were named to the SF State Tip-Off Classic All-Tournament Team. For Popoola Jr., he averaged 15.5 points per game and was clutch at the free throw line against the Gators, becoming the fifth Urban Knight to be perfect at the line with at least 10 attempts in a single game by going 10-for-10. Williams chipped in an average of 12.5 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds per game over the first two contests, including a double-double in his first game as a Knights where he dropped 19 points with 11 rebounds. Popoola Jr. also collected a PacWest Defender of the Week honor on Nov. 15, the first PacWest weekly award of his career, capping off a week where he averaged 3.5 steals per game as well as 7.0 defensive rebounds (eight total). 

Also key in the 2-0 start was Deang as he chipped in 13.5 ppg in the season-opening tournament and grabbed his own double-double during the win over the Seawolves with 20 points and 10 boards, going a perfect 9-for-9 from the field. He became only the second player in program history to post a perfect shooting percentage while making at least eight buckets, joining Aaron Aikman who did so on Nov. 9, 2013.

After a three-game slide that included losses to a pair of squads that now enjoy a national ranking in No. 4 Chico State and No. 15 Cal State San Bernardino, the Knights responded with a 90-78 win over Saint Martin's before capturing a signature win in the history of the program with a 79-60 defeat of UC Davis, the first victory over a DI opponent in the regular season in program history. ART U knocked down exactly half of their looks from the floor but hit on a season-best 61.5 percent (8-for-13) of their looks from downtown, the highest 3-point percentage in a game by a PacWest member school this season. 

PacWest action for the Knights began with an all-around impressive 91-71 toppling of Dominican, the largest win over the Penguins in program history (previous: 17 points, 79-62 on Feb. 1, 2019). Academy of Art showed their defensive grit and set a pair of their season highs that night, including 14 steals and six blocks, leading Bagley to be named the PacWest Defender of the Week on Dec. 6 thanks to a career-high four steals.

Following that was the first ever undefeated road trip to Southern California in ART U history, with an impressive 90-77 victory over Concordia before narrowly escaping 76-74 over Point Loma and the return of PacWest Preseason Player of the Year Kaden Anderson. Strong on the glass in the victories was Williams as he snatched a total of 15 defensive rebounds (22 total), becoming the third Urban Knight this year to be named the PacWest Defender of the Week on Dec. 13. 

The final PacWest game of 2021 saw the Urban Knights handily take down Chaminade in a 100-77 win effort, leaving ART U as the only remaining team without a loss in conference action and moving them into sole possession of first place. Additionally, ART U produced a four-game PacWest winning streak, the longest such streak in Urban Knights history. Starting with a 29-2 run in the first frame, the Knights would go on to set the third highest point total on the most field goals made (43) in program history. While the shooting hand of the Knights would cool a bit in the second frame, they still finished at a season-best 55.8 percent shooting from the floor. It was the third time the Knights hit triple digits in school history, and the first since they tied the program record with 107 points against Simon Fraser on Nov. 21, 2014. The scoring against CUH came on a season and program best 26 assists, tying the mark that they set against Holy Names on Feb. 13, 2020. 

Matched up against their second NCAA Division I opponent of the season, this time battling San Francisco neighbor USF, the Dons put an end to what had become the Urban Knights' six-game winning streak by giving ART U its first loss this season when reaching the 75-point mark. Leading all scorers was Deang with 21 points on 50 percent shooting (7-for-14) from the floor with a season-high four steals, while Slay chipped in 17 and totaled five assists for the second straight game. 

A pair of rematches against Point Loma and Concordia brought a 1-1 week, as ART U split the season's meetings with the Sea Lions but were able to sweep the Eagles for the first time in program history, while also tying the longest winning streak by either side in the all-time series (three games). Showing up defensively was Brown, who recorded five steals in both games while also averaging 5.5 defensive rebounds per game in being named the PacWest Defender of the Week on Jan. 10. He became the fourth Urban Knight to earn the award this season.

Tasked with playing three games in five days on the Hawaiian Islands, the Urban Knights came back with a 1-2 record thanks an 83-70 victory over Hawaii Pacific, though it was sandwiched between a pair of defeats at the hands of UH Hilo and Chaminade. Contributions came from all around on the trip but returning home with his second consecutive PacWest Weekly award was Brown, who was tabbed as the PacWest Defender of the Week on Jan. 17 thanks to an average of 2.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and 5.0 defensive rebounds per game.

ART U picked Fresno Pacific's pockets nine times in the second frame and a pair of Bagley three-balls cut the deficit to three, but the Knights wound up just short against the team that allows the fewest points per game in the PacWest, with the Sunbirds icing the game from the free throw line in the closing seconds. Five of those steals would belong to Brown, who claimed his third consecutive PacWest Defender of the Week award on Jan. 24 with an average of 4.0 steals and 3.0 defensive rebounds when including the contest against Chaminade. He is the only ART U men's basketball student-athlete to have earned the award multiple times in a single season, and is the first player to collect three or more PacWest weekly honors in a single year since Jase Harrison was named the Freshman of the Week four times during the 2014-15 campaign.

It was a tough week for the Urban Knights when matched up against the top two teams in the conference, as ART U took the No. 3 team in the West Region Biola into overtime but couldn't complete the late comeback as the Eagles squeezed in a layup with eight seconds left to snatch a 71-69 victory. Waiting was the No. 1 team in the PacWest standings, and Azusa Pacific proved their worth by defending their home court with a 75-70 win over the Knights. The fifth and final swipe of the game against APU from Brown was his 53rd of the year, a new ART U single-season program record after topping the previous record of 52 set by Alexis Moore in the 2013-14 campaign. 

Defensive grit was what ended the four-game skid for the Urban Knights, producing 13 steals and forcing 18 Dominican turnovers as ART U sealed a regular season series sweep over the Penguins with a 63-52 victory, the first time they have done so since they did it in back-to-back seasons starting in 2017-18 and again in 2018-19. Slay tallied nearly half of ART U's swipes with a career-high six steals en route to being named PacWest Defender of the Week, becoming the fifth Urban Knight to win the award in the season while it is the seventh time for ART U overall, both of which are PacWest records.

SHARK-INFESTED WATERS
Last in the PacWest with just one win in conference action is Hawaii Pacific, though that with a pair of wins in their past three contests against Chaminade (83-72) and Dominican (75-72). Ranking in the bottom third of all statistical categories in the PacWest with the exception of rebounding, including the worst scoring margin in the conference at -6.4. While HPU cannot make the conference tournament, they aim to play the role of spoiler as they embark on their Northern California swing to battle all three PacWest Bay Area schools, beginning with Dominican and ART U before finishing the trip with Holy Names and Fresno Pacific. The 13.8 ppg from Rodney Hounshell is tops on the Sharks and 12th-most in the PacWest, while Trey Chapman provides versatility with 7.4 ppg on 61.4 percent shooting and a team-high 4.2 rpg. While HPU leads ART U in the all-time series 14-6, the Urban Knights have won each of the past two games including earlier this season on Jan. 15, and with another victory can achieve their longest-winning streak ever against the Sharks. 

CATS WITH CLAWS
Currently second in the PacWest with a certified spot in the PacWest Championships is Azusa Pacific, as the Cougars were on quite the roll recently with an eight-game winning streak before it was stopped the last time out against Point Loma, 94-88. While at home APU is nearly unbeatable with a 10-1 record, but away from Azusa the Cougars are just 4-4. Thanks to the second-best scoring defense by allowing an average of just 67.2 ppg, APU has the second-best scoring margin in the conference at +8.5, trailing only the +8.6 of Biola. Not only can they play defense, but APU owns the third-best field goal percentage (45.2 percent) and second-best 3-point field goal percentage (37.4 percent) in the PacWest, and move the ball extremely well by ranking third in assists per game with 13.95 (double-digit assists in 11 straight games). The duo of Justin Hemsley and McKelary Robertson are tied for the team lead in scoring with 14.1 ppg, with Hemsley chipping in 4.3 rpg. Azusa Pacific will be looking for the season sweep against the Urban Knights after earning a 75-70 win earlier this year, as APU leads the all-time series 13-1 after having won each of the past 13 matchups, with ART U's only victory coming in the first ever meeting back on Feb. 4, 2013. 

ART U WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT IN DOMINATING FASHION
Academy of Art men's basketball put its foot on the gas pedal from the opening tip with UH Hilo on Sunday and never looked back, amassing a season-best 55 rebounds and shooting over 50 percent from the floor for the sixth time this season as ART U won its fourth straight by topping the Vulcans in Pacific West Conference action, 81-48. 

LOOKING AHEAD
The final week of the regular season looms ahead, as the Urban Knights close out the 2021-22 conference schedule with Senior Day against the PacWest's top team in Biola on Feb. 24 before the season finale commences on the road against Fresno Pacific on Feb. 26.