ROHNERT Park, Calif. – A 14-2 run by Academy of Art was the difference as the San Francisco State men's basketball team fell to the Urban Knights 76-70 in the opener of the Ron Logsdon Basketball Classic on Friday evening.
- The Gators shot 47.4 percent from the field on Friday, going 27-for-57. In the second half, SF State shot a blistering 52.9 percent (18-for-34).
- SF State finished with two players in double figures and was led by guard Tyjean Burrell, who finished the night with a game-high 26 points. He also led the Gators in rebounds with nine.
- Also scoring in double figures was forward Caleb Oden who had 10 points.
- The Gators owned the paint on Friday evening, outscoring ArtU 32-20 inside the key. In the second half, the Gators finished with 22 points in the paint.
- Second chance points also favored the Gators, finishing the night with 15.
- The charity stripe was unkind to the Gators, as they shot just 47.4 percent (9-for-19) from the free-throw line.
- With the win, ArtU improves to 1-0 on the year, the Gators fall to 0-1.
The Gators jumped out to an early lead, however, a 14-2 run by ArtU midway through the opening period allowed the Urban Knights to go into the locker room with a 17-point lead, up 42-25 at the intermission.
The Gators went cold midway through the half and finished the period shooting 39.1 percent from the field. The Knights shot 53.8 percent from the field in the first half and were 7-for-13 from beyond the arc.
The tandem of Isaiah Williams and Donovan Vickers led the way offensively for the Knights. The duo combined to score 28 of ArtU's 42 first-half points. Williams led the Knights with 24 points on the evening, followed by Vickers who finished with 19.
Out of the Break, the Gators tied the game at 50-50 thanks to a 25-8 run. Burrell scored eight points during the stretch that sparked a 12-0 run.
With the score tied at 50, the Urban Knights responded with a 13-0 run that was initiated by a pair of free throws from Vickers.
The Gators refused to go away, however. A 12-4 run late in the second half, cut the ArtU lead to five, 67-62, when Oden hit a three with 4:02 to play. ArtU put the game away thanks to a 3-point field goal from Rodney Munson with 3:27 left, giving the Knights a 70-62 lead.
The Gators return to action on Saturday evening when they return to the Wolves' Den for their matchup against Dominican in the finale of the Ron Logsdon Basketball Classic. Live stats will be available at sfstategators.com, and fans can tune in on FloHoops.
