A two game sweep saw St. Bonaventure improve to 9-1 on the season. On Wednesday it was a win at Bucknell of the Patriot League. Saturday’s victory over Big Four rival Buffalo was in the friendly confines of the Reilly Center. Numbers and observations…
St. Bona 64 Bucknell 47
Possessions: 65
Offensive efficiency: St. Bona 98, Bucknell 72
St. Bona 65 Buffalo 55
Possessions 64
Offensive efficiency: St. Bona 102, Buffalo 86
Points of emphasis:
Defense and rebounding. Bona coach Mark Schmidt said defense and rebounding will determine this team’s success. “Our defense has to be the staple this year,” Schmidt told gobonnies.com following the Buffalo game, “ and I thought it was. I thought we did a really good job with turning them over 19 times.” Bonnies forced the Bulls into a 28% turnover rate, scoring 16 points off those miscues. It was much of the same in the prior game at Bucknell. In that one the Bonnies forced 17 turnovers, translating into an identical 28% TO rate.
Bona won the rebounding battle 36-31 at Bucknell while the Buffalo game saw both teams pull down 28 boards. The latter contest saw Bona post a 21-19% edge in offensive rebounding percentage (6-5 in raw numbers). Thus far the DI average in offensive rebounding percentage is 30%. Bonnies are showing a 31% mark and are +3 over the opposition in that category.
Wire to wire. Bucknell took a 3-0 lead in Wednesday’s game. That was the only time the Bonnies trailed in the two games. Against the Bison, the Bonnies led by 32 midway through the second half and were never seriously challenged.
In the Buffalo contest the Bonnies never trailed while building a 14 point cushion with 12 minutes remaining. Whenever Bona threatened to expand the difference, Buffalo, the Bulls kept answering. With a minute left they had the ball with the deficit at two possessions. Bonnies met the challenge, getting two defensive stops while converting on the offensive end.
To date it’s been a common theme and a good sign. Mark Schmidt’s group has shown the resiliency to address the opposition runs and put the game away.
Kenpom.com MVPs. Actually it was MVP as Chance Moore earned the distinction for both outings. Against Bucknell the Bona senior scored 22 points while grabbing six rebounds-tying Lajae Jones with team honors in that department.
Against Buffalo, Moore scored a game high 16 points. Moore shot 5 of 8 from the floor, 6 for 8 from the charity stripe.
The MVP of the Buffalo game per Schmidt was 6’1″ junior Mike Folarin who scored six points while pulling down five rebounds in six minutes. “Mike gave us a big lift,” Schmidt praised. “If there was an MVP of the game it was Mike…That’s what we need from guys coming off the bench.”
Playing time. The lopsided win at Bucknell gave Schmidt the opportunity to generously disperse playing time. That game saw 11 Bonnies see action with eight logging eight or more minutes. Getting that ‘pt’ comes with an obligation however.
“Some (different) guys had opportunities to play today and when you get that chance you need to produce,” Schmidt said. “Producing isn’t necessarily scoring; it’s taking care of the ball, it’s defending. We had guys who were able to do that tonight.”
Notes: This is the best start for the Bonnies through 10 games since the 2020-21 season. The Bonnies went on to win the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles that season. Prior to that the Bonnies got off to a 9-1 start in the 1970-71 season, a year they finished third in the NIT.
Bucknell coach John Griffin III is the son of John Griffin II who is quite familiar with Bonaventure. The elder Griffin coached Saint Joseph’s from 1990 through 1995, making several trips to the ‘RC’ during his Hawk Hill tenure.
Bucknell’s 47 points were the lowest total by a Bona opponent since December 7, 2022, In that game the Bonnies held Cleveland State to 42 in a win at the Reilly Center.
Bonnies won the inside battle against Buffalo. They outscored the Bulls 30-24 in the paint and have ‘won’ points in the paint each game so far.
Lajae Jones set a career-high in minutes played with the full 40 against Buffalo. Jones scored six points while matching career-highs in rebounds (8) and steals (4).
Upcoming for the Bonnies, exams. Next action on the hardwood is a battle with Providence on December 14th in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. Providence dropped their in-state rivalry game, 69-63, at Rhode island on Saturday. Coach Kim English’s (formerly of George Mason) Friars are 0-2 against A10 opposition this season, having dropped a game to Davidson over Thanksgiving.
Posted In: General Discussion