The Bonnies closed out their non-conference schedule with a 62-61 win over Akron in the Legends Showcase on Saturday. The game at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Field house saw the Bonnies (9-3) earn their seventh win in their last eight outings. Akron (8-4) had a four game win streak come to an end.
Possessions: 61
Offensive efficiency: St. Bona 102, Akron 100
Four Factors:
| St. Bona | Akron | |
| eFG Pct. | 41 | 51 |
| FT Rate | 21 | 40 |
| OREB Pct. | 40 | 26 |
| TO Rate | 12 | 20 |
Pace. This was your basic grind it out affair. Both teams came into the game averaging a 69 possession pace. An eight possession difference in pace may not appear to be significant, but in reality it is. This was simply a defensive oriented game.
Keys to victory. Number one for Bona was defense. Akron came in averaging a 107 offensive efficiency. The defense limited John Groce’s Zips to seven below their average. This was vital as Bona was also held seven below their 109 average. And the defense certainly responded on the last possession. With Bona clinging to a one point lead, Akron was forced into a tightly contested off balance outside prayer, that was not answered.
Resilience. Bona led by double digits in the first half and six at the break. With five minutes to go Bona seemed home free with a seven point lead. Each time Akron responded and did not go away. In the final analysis Bona was able to find an answer to each Akron run. The final came with seconds left and Bona down one as Mika Adams-Woods hit a short jumper that proved to be the difference.
Adapting. Some of Bona’s recent victories came when they posted some impressive numbers on the offensive end. In the previous six victories coach Mark Schmidt’s group scored 80 or more points. In this low scoring affair, slower pace and less scoring, Bona found a way to win.
“We didn’t execute great but you’re not going to score 85 points every time,” Schmidt told gobonnies.com. “You have to win games like this. I told the guys in the locker room this was like preparing for an Atlantic 10 game. You have to find a way to win those games. And we did that today.”
Rebounds and turnovers. In raw numbers Bona had a 16-8 advantage on the offensive glass. Only seven turnovers resulted in that excellent 12% turnover rate.
“I’m an old-school guy,” Schmidt said. I believe basketball is won in the paint. We got 15 more shots than them….We didn’t shoot the ball well but we got to the offensive glass.” Hitting the offensive glass allowed Bona to show a 32-18 advantage on points in the paint.
Akron’s Ali Ali led all scorers with 20 points. The 6’8” senior was a matchup problem given his size and ability to hit from the perimeter (4 of 9 from three). Enrique Freeman added 14 and a game-high 13 boards for the Zips. Chad Venning was Bona’s lone double figure scorer with 14. Adams-Woods was kept out of double figures. The last two of his nine points, however, were deciding ones.
Kenpom.com MVP. Barry Evans. The 6’8” Bona sophomore scored four points while tying Charles Pride for team rebounding honors with ten (three on the offensive end).
Notes: Akron shot 44% from the floor. Bona wound up at 38% while enjoying a 39-32 advantage off the glass. Bona outscored Akron 27-6 in bench points. Moses Flowers contributed nine points and Noel Brown eight in relief efforts. Game had seven lead changes and nine ties.
A10 play starts for the Bonnies on Wednesday with a trip to VCU.
