SAN DIEGO – No. 2 seed Academy of Art men's basketball competed in the Pacific West Conference Championship Tournament semifinals for the third year in a row, but unfortunately could not move into the title game after falling to No. 6 seed Azusa Pacific, 79-72.
 
Both teams were trading buckets in the first half, and the Urban Knights saw the first basket of the game fall with junior guard Allen Taylor putting it in. Junior guard Rodney Munson knocked down a free throw to give ART U the lead once again a few minutes later, but APU consistently threw up shots to keep themselves ahead throughout the half by just a few points. With under a minute to go in the opening frame, junior guard Treylon Payne connected on a triple for the Knights to pull ART U within three points with a 32-29 score, and that score would remain the same going into the break. 
 
Azusa Pacific held a lead by no more than six points for the majority of the first 10 minutes of the second half, with the Knights at one point tying the game up at 45-45 off a junior forward Jamal Fuller layup. The Cougars' over 57 percent shooting from the field in the second half made it difficult for ART U to pull ahead, and APU would then create a 12-point advantage with just over four minutes remaining in the game. Making one last push, the Knights climbed back within three points off a quick 8-0 run containing two Allen Taylor 3-pointers and a Payne layup, but APU managed to hold the comeback off as they maintained their lead and took the win 79-72.

Taylor was the main force for ART U, putting up a new career-high in points with 21, beating his previous high of 17 against the same Azusa Pacific team on Feb. 1. Fuller put up the second-most points on the squad (19) as he broke the all-time ART U single season record in points scored with 522 while senior forward Latrell Williams led the team in rebounds (8) while also putting up the most assists (4).
 
Four Cougars scored double-digit points for APU, as George Reidy led the team (22) while Ken West was right there with him (21) as he collected the team-high in rebounds (12). 

 The NCAA Tournament selection show will take place this Sunday, Mar. 9 at 8 p.m. PT as the teams advancing to the NCAA Division II West Regional will be announced.