St. Bonaventure 79 Loyola Chicago 64 : Numbers, Notes and #300

It is safe to say the first trip to Reilly Center for Loyola Chicago was not a memorable one. The first place Ramblers were soundly defeated by the Bonnies 79-64. Tuesday’s game saw an end to Loyola Chicago’s seven game win streak, improving the Bonnies to 18-10 (9-7) while Loyola Chicago is now 20-8 (12-3). 

Possessions: 74

Offensive efficiency: St. Bona 107, Loyola 86

Numbers: Four Factors in bold

Ball Control Index:

St. Bona 1.29

Loyola 1.26

Bonnies started the game going four minutes without getting on the scoreboard. Early in the contest Loyola Chicago had a 9-2 lead. Mark Schmidt’s group responded by going on a 17-2 run, resulting in a 19-11 lead. Later, a 10-0 run allowed the hosts to enjoy a 15 point lead at intermission. 

Drew Valentine’s Ramblers started strong following intermission. They ‘won’ the first four minutes by a 10-7 margin, getting the deficit down to 12 with ample time remaining. The Bonnies responded, building the lead to  21 with nine minutes to play. Loyola shot frequently from downtown in hopes of establishing a late game run. The visitors got within 12 (68-56) with just under five minutes to play, but no closer.

Both ends of the court. Loyola has the best defensive efficiency in the A10 at 98. The Bonnies clearly exceeded that mark coming in, as noted, with an excellent 107 offensive efficiency. In their last 10 games only George Mason posted a higher efficiency, 120 in an 85-69 loss to the Ramblers, than the 107 the Bonnies rang up on Tuesday. The shooting percentage was 45%, the Bonnies did connect on 41% (7 of 17) beyond the arc. 

Defensively, they built the first half lead forcing 13 Loyola Chicago turnovers, resulting in a 19-0 edge in points off turnovers. For the game, the visitors were guilty of 19 turnovers as the Bonnies enjoyed a 24-4 advantage in the points off turnovers department. 

The Ramblers shot 38% for the game. They were 32% (10 of 31) from three. The notably high number of attempts from beyond the arc came in that second half when they attempted 19 in hopes of making a comeback. 

“Our effort was tremendous,” Schmidt told gobonnies.com. “We won the game on the defensive end. We had a bunch of steals that gave us points off turnovers and fast breaks. Our offense also did a good job against them in half court.”

The most important number. Not to be lost among the traditional and tempo free numbers, is 300. The win was Mark Schmidt’s 300th at St. Bonaventure. 

“I’ve been here a long time,” Schmidt said. “We’ve had really good players and it’s the players who win games.” Daryl Banks III and Moses Flowers joined Schmidt in the post game presser. The Bona mentor made reference to the two, as well as others saying, “I’ve really been lucky to coach guys like this.”

Schmidt is now the sixth A10 coach the hit the 300 mark in the conference. The others are John Chaney (Temple), Phil Martelli (Saint Joseph’s), Chris Mooney (Richmond), Gale Catlett (West Virginia) and Jim Baron (St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island).

Maybe it was ironic, certainly fitting, former Bona AD currently in the same capacity at Loyola Chicago, Steve Watson, was in attendance. It was Watson who hired Schmidt at Bonaventure back in 2007. 

Kenpom.com MYP: Daryl Banks III. The senior guard scored a game-high 26 points. Banks shot 4 of 8 from three and was a perfect 12 of 12 from the charity stripe. He committed just one turnover in 31 minus of action. 

Philip Alston led the way for Loyola Chicago with 12 points. Braden Norris was the Ramblers’ other double figure scorer with 11.

Chad Venning, a difficult low post matchup for the Ramblers,  scored 18 for the Bonnies while Moses Flowers added 12 along with five steals.

Noel Brown added eight points, three rebounds in 19 minutes. “I thought he (Brown) was our unsung hero tonight,” Schmidt said.

Notes:  Bonnies had a slight 35-34 rebounding advantage. Des Watson of Loyola Chicago was the game pace setter for rebounds with nine. Flowers led the Bonnies with eight. 

Bonaventure’s Barry Evans set a career high with four blocked shots.

Loyola Chicago, entered the A10 last season, and was the lone team Schmidt had not defeated. The two schools have only played each other twice in the past six decades. The series stands at 3-3 with the Bonnies getting their first win since a 1952 game at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.

Loyola Chicago’s next outing is a Friday night home date against Dayton. Next up for the Bonnies following a several day layoff, is a visit to George Washington next Wednesday. Chris Caputo’s Revolutionaries are on an 11 game slide. They travel to La Salle on Saturday.  GW is last in the A10 in defensive efficiency with a 117 mark.

“Our defensive execution was very good. We played hard and competed.  You have to do that to beat a team as good as Loyola.’ – Mark Schmidt