Box Score

BELMONT, Calif. — Freshman guard Uchenna Okeneme had a big night off the bench Saturday, scoring 21 points and coming through in the clutch with four free throws in the final 13 seconds to hold off a late charge by Notre Dame de Namur and help the Academy of Art University men's basketball team to a 69-63 Pacific West Conference win over the Argonauts at Walter Gleason Gym.
 

A video posted by Be Artist. Be Athlete. (@artu_knights) on Dec 12, 2014 at 4:34pm PST

Okeneme had put the Urban Knights (3-4, 1-0 PacWest) ahead by double digits with a layup at the 10 minutes, 25 seconds mark of the second half. That lead slowly wilted away, though, in the final 10 minutes with NDNU (1-6, 0-2 PacWest) pulling to within two at 65-63 with 1:55 to play.
 
On the next possession, the Knights turned the ball over to NDNU, giving the Argos a chance to tie or take the lead, but Don Washington missed back-to-back free throws with 1:16 to go. Notre Dame de Namur got one final chance when it grabbed a rebound off an ART U miss, but Jalani Davis missed a go-ahead 3-pointer with 16 seconds left, forcing NDNU to foul Okeneme.
 
Okeneme made good on both his attempts from the charity stripe to put ART U up 67-63, and after Davis missed another 3-pointer with 3 seconds on the clock, Okeneme iced the victory with two more free throws.
 
The rookie played 24 minutes off the bench Saturday and went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-2 from beyond the 3-point arc. He was also 5-for-6 from the free-throw line and added four assists, two steals and two rebounds to his season-best performance.
 
Senior guard Alexis Moore led all players with a season-high 24 points. He also had seven rebounds, five assists and a block. Jalen Young and Washington scored 19 each for Notre Dame de Namur, with Washington logging a double-double thanks to 10 rebounds.

Academy of Art made six 3-pointers in the first half alone and jumped out to an early 12-5 lead. The Knights led by as many as eight in the half before settling for a seven-point, 41-34 halftime lead. ART U shot 53.3 percent in the first half, including 50 percent from downtown (6-for-12).
 
This is the second straight season the Urban Knights have won their PacWest season opener. Last season the Knights defeated Point Loma 63-61 at home to begin the conference slate.
 
The Knights take next week off before returning home to face PacWest foes No. 17 California Baptist on Dec. 16 and Azusa Pacific on Dec. 20 at Kezar Pavilion.