San Francisco -- In a game that came down to the final second, Academy of Art men's basketball took a tough lose to Azusa Pacific in a hard-fought battle that ended in a score of 70-69.
 
The Urban Knights jumped out to an early lead, outscoring the Cougars 20-9 with 10:06 in the half. The first half saw nine different ART U players score in their offensive attack, including junior forward Andrija Blatancic who currently leads the team in scoring-- averaging 10.3 points per game. Blatancic helped push the team's offensive attack in the first, finishing the half with seven points, six rebounds, and one assist.
 
As the Urban Knight began to separate themselves, the Cougars countered with an offensive burst of their own. The scoreboard began to level, as APU brought the game within three, 25-22, with just over four minutes to play. ART U claimed the final points of the half on a three from junior guard Nemanja Kovacevic to put a stamp on an 11-point lead and head into the locker room up 36-25.
 
Senior center Cameron Niven opened the second half with the first six points to help ART U maintain their 42-35 lead with 16:21 on the clock.  Niven ended the game as the Urban Knights leading scorer, putting up a season high 14 points.
 
However, the Cougars clawed back, and took their first lead of the game 43-42 with 13:03 to play. APU kept the pressure on and extend their lead to 56-49. ART U fought back, and took a four-point lead on a layup by junior guard Victor Ruiz de Carranza and with 4:38 remaining the Urban Knights led 62-58.
 
Neither team was able to pull away, and the lead did not exceed two points in the last few minutes of the game. Carranza sunk a pair of free throws to put the Knights ahead 66-65 with just 28 seconds to play, but a three ball by APU in the final 19 seconds put the Cougars up. After a couple of made free throws by APU redshirt sophomore guard Dante Williams hit from beyond the arc to bring the game within one, but the Cougars held on to take the game 70-69.

D. Williams ended with ten points and was one of four ART U players to score double digits. Blatancic also ended the game with ten points, trailing Carranza who put up 13, and Niven who led with 14. Carranza was one rebound shy of a double-double, and added three assists, two steals, and a block.
 
After the loss, Academy of Art sits at 1-8 overall and 1-3 in conference. ART U will look to bounce back against Hawaii Pacific at home on Dec 31 at 3:30 pm.