Box Score SAN RAFAEL, Calif. --- The Cal State East Bay men's basketball team came up short in its first test of the 2013-14 season, dropping a 97-80 decision to Academy of Art on Friday evening. Gabe Kindred scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Pioneers (0-1), who trailed by just four at halftime, but fell victim to a 20-5 run by the Urban Knights early in the second half.

East Bay shot 44.6 percent from the floor as a team, well ahead of their 2012-13 season average of 39.2 percent, but trailing Academy of Art, which shot an impressive 51.5 percent. The Urban Knight also shot better from outside, knocking down 6-of-14 three pointers (42.9 percent), compared to 8-for-25 for the Pioneers (32.0 percent). ART-U attempted 16 more free throws and made nine more than East Bay. 

"Academy of Art did a great job of penetrating and rebounding all night," said head coach Gus Argenal. "This game came down to our inability to contain the ball, and that's an aspect of our defense that has to improve. We're excited to have the opportunity to come right back and compete again tomorrow."

The Pioneers did commit fewer turnovers than their opponents (16 to 11), but they were out-played down low. CSUEB was out-rebounded 53 to 27 for the game, including 19 offensive boards for ART-U. Meanwhile, the Pioneer starting frontcourt managed just four points.

East Bay's guard play was another story. The starting backcourt of Kindred, Mark Samuels, and Jacari Whitfield combined for 50 points, 11 assists, four steals, and just four turnovers.

Kindred was an extremely efficient offensive player on this night, shooting 8-for-11 from the field and knocking down 2-of-4 from long range. He needed just 27 minutes to get his 23 points, which supassed his previous best of 22 in a game against SF State last February.

Samuels was not quite as efficient, going 7-for-18 from the floor, but he did score 16 points, grabbed three rebounds, and had five assists. Whitfield added 11 points and two steals and dished out a team-best six assists. 

Jarred Jourdan came off the bench to make a strong impression in his first game as a Pioneer. The junior scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting and pulled in five rebounds in 29 minutes of play. 

Fellow newcomer Nick Grieves hit two of his three attempts from beyond the arc and finished with eight points in his East Bay debut.

Senior Ryan Hebebrand grabbed a team-high six boards. Sophomore Ota Okungbowa made the most of his six minutes, notching five points and an offensive rebound.

The Pioneers never led after ART-U took a 17-16 lead seven minutes into the game, but they did manage to keep the score tight throughout the first half. Coming out of the break leading 40-36, the Urban Knights pulled off a 10-0 run and quickly extended their lead to 20 behind the outstanding play of Alex Carmon, who finished with 31 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Alexis Moore (16 pts, 12 reb.) and Aaron Anderson (11 pts, 11 reb.) both posted double-doubles for Academy.   

The game was played at Dominican University as part of the PacWest/CCAA Basketball Challenge, a mini-tournament that also includes Dominican and Humboldt State. East Bay will take on the host Penguins (who beat HSU 95-83 on Friday) on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.