The streak expired at four games. Buffalo defeated St. Bonaventure 83-66 at the Alumni Arena on Saturday. The setback saw the Bonnies fall to 5-3 while Buffalo improved to 4-4. Numbers and notes…
Possessions : 68- A grind it out number but not one the Bonnies have had difficulty with thus far. On this afternoon though….
Offensive efficiency: UB 122, St. Bona 97
Not a surprise given UB’s shooting metrics. As noted before, you simply have little or no chance of winning by giving up a 122 efficiency on defense. For the season Mark Schmidt’s group allows a commendable 99 efficiency. Saturday’s total, a completely different story and one the coaching staff is certain to address.
Four Factors:
| St. Bona | UB | |
| eFG Pct | 48 | 55 |
| Ft Rate | 32 | 36 |
| OREB Pct | 31 | 38 |
| TO Rate | 19 | 15 |
Not a good showing on any account. Bonnies came up short in each of the Four Factors. A glaring disparity came in effective field goal percentage. Buffalo shot 49% overall (27% from three). The Bonnies checked in at 45% while hitting on only 20% from downtown. The foul line was a difference maker. UB attempted only two more free throws than Bona. They made the most of the opportunity hitting 86% (18 of 21) while Bona missed ten from the stripe going 9 of 19 for 47%. That difference played a significant role in deciding this contest. The offensive boards were even at a dozen each, In total however, Buffalo outrebounded the Bonnies 39-32, Bona was guilty of 13 turnovers to 10 by the Bulls. In simple terms, not one of the factors here gave cause for optimism.
Bulls run. This proved to be a game of runs. UB got out to a fast start each half. The Bonnies were able to answer. With just over five minutes to play it was a two possession game with the Bonnies down six and looking to make one last surge. At that juncture Jim Whitesell’s club went on a game deciding 9-0 run as the Bonnies were unable to answer.
Kenpom.MVP: Curtis Jones, Buffalo. No surprise as the 6’5” sophomore poured in a game high 32 points. That mark was the highest individual scoring output against Bona this season. Jones was 5 of 10 from three and added six rebounds for good measure. “Jones played fabulous,” Schmidt told The Buffalo News. “We didn’t have any answers for him.” Zid Powell added 23 points, 8 rebounds for the Bulls.
Yann Farell led the Bonnies with a career high 18 points. Daryl Banks scored 16 while Kyrell Luc and Moses Flowers added 10 each. Chad Venning struggled mightily. Venning, saddled by foul trouble and eventually fouling out, did not score and grabbed three rebounds in a dozen minutes of action.
“We had some open looks and we missed. We didn’t shoot the ball well and didn’t get anything inside..” Bona coach Mark Schmidt per The Buffalo News
Bona finished their Western New York portion of the schedule going 0-2. They dropped an overtime contest at Canisius back on November 12th. Bonnies will entertain Cleveland State Wednesday at the Reilly Center.
