BELMONT, Calif.--A frigid start was too much to overcome for the visiting Hawai`i Hilo Vulcans on Sunday afternoon against host Academy of Art.

The Urban Knights claimed a 81-48 win at Walter Gleason Gym, improving to 10-6 in the Pacific West Conference to maintain their fourth place slot in the league standings. ART is 14-10 overall. The Vulcans, who could have moved past the Urban Knights in the standings with a win, dropped to 8-7 in the PacWest and to 12-10 overall. UH Hilo is now in sixth place in the PacWest, with the top eight teams to qualify for the conference tournament in early March.

The Vulcans were ice cold from the beginning of the contest.

Academy of Art jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first four and a half minutes of the game. Through the first 13 minutes of the contest, the Vulcans had made just five field goals and were shooting 12 percent from the field (5-for-28). They wouldn't get untracked the rest of the half, shooting 20 percent for the 20 minutes, including 3-of-21 from three-point range (14 percent).

The Knights held a 36-21 lead at intermission, thanks in part to 62 percent shooting from the field.

It didn't improve much in the second half for the Vulcans. ART outscored their visitors 45-27 after the break to reach the final count of 81-48.The Vulcans ended up shooting 23 from the field and 16 percent from behind the arch (6-for-37). Academy of Art outrebounded UHH 55-34. 

Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones led the Vulcans with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Max Kunnert was the only other Hawai`i Hilo player in double figures with 11 points. Adrian Byrd-Jelinek led the Urban Knights with 15 points and Latrell Williams had a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards.

UH Hilo continues a crucial Bay area trip on Tuesday with a bout at Holy Names.