Game #1
ART U Urban Knights (0-0) vs. Sonoma State Seawolves (0-0)
Friday, November 10, 2023 at 5 p.m.
San Francisco – SF State - Main Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video
 
Game #2
ART U Urban Knights (0-0) vs. SF State Gators (0-0)
Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 7 p.m.
San Francisco – SF State - Main Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video
 
One year removed from its first NCAA Division II Tournament victory and two from its first Pacific West Conference Tournament crown, Academy of Art men's basketball has its sights set on continuing what has become a tradition of postseason success into the 2023-24 season ahead. Head Coach Scott Waterman returns for his fifth year at the program's helm and one that will feature many talented newcomers as well as a core of Urban Knights who contributed to ART U's back-to-back campaigns with 20 or more victories.

Receiving votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches DII Preseason Poll and picked to finish second in the PacWest Coaches Preseason Poll, Academy of Art will be in San Francisco to begin the season against Sonoma State (Nov. 10) and SF State (Nov. 11) in the Gators' Tip-Off Classic before traveling to Chico State on Nov. 18. Non-conference play continues with the Knights hosting their largest homestand of the year as Stanislaus State (Nov. 22), Saint Martin's (Nov. 24), and Jessup (Dec. 1) will match up with ART U inside Kezar Pavilion. The second half of the six-part stretch at home then sees PacWest action start with Azusa Pacific (Dec. 7) and Chaminade (Dec. 10) followed by another non-conference pairing with Western Oregon (Dec. 13). The calendar year finishes with the first of three regular season trips to Southern California where Biola (Dec. 16) and Concordia (Dec. 18) await.

Much of January will see the Urban Knights on the road, but 2024 opens with Academy of Art hosting Hawaii Pacific on Jan. 2 before a brief trip to the conference's newest addition in Westmont (Jan. 5). Three games on the Hawaiian Islands, at HPU (Jan. 11), CUH (Jan. 13), and UH Hilo (Jan. 15), give way to a local road contest at Dominican (Jan. 20) ahead of ART U completing the month at home against CUI on Jan. 25. The Knights will return to SoCal for a rematch with APU (Feb. 1) and their first look at Point Loma (Feb. 3) then start a stretch of six of their next eight games at home with Westmont (Feb. 8) and Fresno Pacific (Feb. 10). One last non-conference matchup takes ART U to UC Santa Cruz on Feb. 13 as second meetings with UH Hilo (Feb. 17) and DUC (Feb. 22) follow. The last stretch leading to the postseason includes a road game at FPU (Feb. 24) plus two home contests versus BU (Feb. 29) and PLNU (Mar. 2). Hosted by Point Loma this year, the PacWest Championship Tournament will take place in San Diego Mar. 7-9. To view the 2023-24 schedule, click here!

Carrying the most postseason experience on the team, senior forward Latrell Williams returns as a one of the conference's top seven rebounders in back-to-back seasons and a Preseason All-PacWest Team selection. The Communications & Media Technologies major was previously All-PacWest Second Team and PacWest All-Tournament Team both in 2021-22, ranked seventh in the conference in both rebounds (7.2) and steals (1.2) per game last year, and needs five double-doubles as well as 132 rebounds to become the program's career leader in both categories. Joining Williams as part of ART U's senior class will be guard Lyndon Prayer, a transfer from Keene State.

The team's nine-member junior class includes two returners in guard Rodney Munson and forward Jamal Fuller along with incoming guards Treylon Payne, Donovan Vickers, Jamal Winston, Allen Taylor and forwards Ashton Howard, Quintin Metcalf, and Isaiah Williams. Each impressing in the their debut seasons with the program, Munson was one of four Knights among the PacWest's top 11 in steals per game (1.3) while Fuller's .581 field goal percentage ranked fourth in Academy of Art single-season history. That duo will be complemented by consistent scorers and rebounders such as Metcalf, who averaged 16.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in his most recent season with Pratt Community College, and Taylor, who delivered 19.7 points per game last year with Southern Arkansas University Tech and 6.5 rebounds in his career.

Sophomore guard Eli Taylor and freshman guard Malachi Guice both return from redshirt seasons while newly-added freshman guard Mason Hudnall prepares for his first collegiate campaign. Taylor will look to demonstrate his talents that led him to average 14.9 points and 4.6 assists per game for Ranger Junior College in 2021-22.

Striving to return to the postseason stronger than ever, Academy of Art tips off its 2023-24 journey this week.