SAN FRANCISCO – Academy of Art men's basketball rode a program-best six-game winning streak into its battle against the second NCAA Division I opponent of the year in the University of San Francisco, but ART U couldn't extend its run as USF dialed up the long ball in a 111-78 non-conference victory on Tuesday. 

Grabbing momentum out of the gate with a 13-0 run were the Dons (13-1), as they hit each of their first five looks from the floor to set the tone. After starting slowly, the Urban Knights (8-4) clawed their way back into the game, using a strong 17-point first half from graduate student guard Deang Deang to trail by just single digits throughout a portion of the first half.

Despite their best efforts, USF would start to pull away in the second half thanks to their shooting from beyond the three-point line. After 11 in the first half, the Dons followed with another nine in the second frame as they hit on half of their looks from deep to stop any potential ART U comeback effort. 

This marks the first loss for ART U this season when reaching 75 points, as not even four Urban Knights finishing in double-figures could keep up with the hot hand of USF. Reaching the 20-point mark for the third time this season was Deang, who ended his night with a game-high 21 while just behind him was graduate student guard Denny Slay with a 17-point, five-assist effort. 

Rounding out the quartet was graduate student forward Adrian Byrd-Jelinek with 11 points while sophomore guard Brian Rios chipped in 10 on the strength of 2-for-3 shooting from three-point range. Leading the team in rebounds with eight was sophomore forward Latrell Williams, falling just shy of a double-double with nine points 

While the overall winning streak may have ended, Academy of Art will look to continue its PacWest four-game winning streak the next time it takes the floor on Jan. 6 against Point Loma.