SAN FRANCISCO – Fresno Pacific failed to get any rhythm going offensively on Wednesday night, falling to Academy of Art 57-52 at Kezar Pavilion. The Sunbirds were held to 2-of-20 from three and a season-low 52 points in the setback.
 
FPU falls to 4-15 overall and 4-8 in the PacWest with the loss, while ART U improves to 5-12 overall and 4-7 in league play. The two teams split the season series with the result, as FPU defeated the Urban Knights 81-77 earlier this season in Fresno.
 
T.J. Viney led the Sunbirds with 13 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Spencer Krannitz added 10 points, five rebounds, three steals and one block. Mike Crawley also added six points and four rebounds, Kavika Jimenez pulled down a team-best seven rebounds and Jeff Bartley added six points and four rebounds.
 
Bartley gave FPU the first lead of the evening with a layup 30 seconds into the game, but it proved to be the only lead for the Sunbirds the rest of the way. The Urban Knights would go on to lead 26-15 half way through the opening period before heading into the locker room up 32-23.
 
The Sunbirds chipped away in the second half, cutting the deficit to four on three different occasions with under five minutes to go. A Suhail Mohammadi free throw cut the ART U lead to three, 51-48, with 1:35 left, but a three from the Urban Knights on the next possession sealed the win for the home team.
 
The Sunbirds were held to 36.8 percent from the floor and a season-low 10 percent from deep. ART U countered at 42.6 percent from the field, including a 40 percent clip from beyond the arc.
 
Victor Nwaba led the way for the Urban Knights with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and five threes.
 
The Sunbirds will look to get back into the win column on Saturday in Oakland at Holy Names at 4 p.m.