LA MIRADA, Calif. – In a game with lead changes throughout both halves, Academy of Art men's basketball played their first road Pacific West Conference contest against Biola on Saturday. Despite ART U holding a double-digit lead in the second half, the Eagles overcame the deficit and took the victory with a 96-93 final.

With eight lead changes in the first half alone, both the Urban Knights, who are now 6-4 and 2-1 in PacWest play, and the Eagles, also 6-4 and 2-1 in conference, saw multiple leads and scoring runs. As junior forward Jamal Fuller scored his first seven points early, a fastbreak layup off his own steal sent Biola into their first timeout of the contest. The Eagles came right back as they took a narrow lead midway through the opening frame. As one team would regain the lead, the other would respond all the way up until the final minute, where the Knights battled back and ended up on top at the half 42-39. 

The Knights came out of the half hot, with three-point buckets from deep on back-to-back possessions from junior guard Rodney Munson and junior guard Treylon Payne. ART U soon went on a tear, building their lead into the double-digits for the first time by either squad with just over 15 minutes to go in the game. This lead turned to 18 just a few minutes later from a triple by Munson and junior guard Allen Taylor adding on two 3-pointers of his own.

Around the eight minute mark, the Eagles got the deficit back down to the single digits with defense and a few tough buckets they got to drop. The Knights' lead faded away with around three minutes left in the contest, and, though they gained their momentum back down the stretch, Academy of Art could not regain the lead. A few buckets from Fuller and another from junior forward Isaiah Williams gave ART U some fight, but Biola free throws shut the door in the waning seconds of regulation.

Fuller would finish the game with the team-lead in points (26), with five other Knights scoring in the double digits. Isaiah Williams and Munson followed behind with the second-most points on the squad (16 apiece), with Allen Taylor putting up a season-high 14. While Fuller also led the squad in rebounds (7), Isaiah Williams went 8-for-9 from the free throw line. 

Nathan Medina scored the most points on Biola in the contest (27), while Maximo Milovich collected the double-double as he put up 12 points and brought in 14 rebounds for his squad.

It will be a quick turnaround for Academy of Art, as the Urban Knights return to the floor on Monday, Dec. 18 at 3:30 p.m. to take on Concordia.