The season ended in a ‘flash’. Kent State of the Mid American Conference defeated St. Bonaventure 75-56 in the opening round of the NIT. Tuesday’s game at the Reilly Center saw the Golden Flashes improve to 23-11 while the Bonnies closed the season at 22-12. Numbers and notes…
Possessions: 70
Offensive Efficiency: Kent St. 107, St. Bona 80
Four Factors:
eFG Pct.- Kent St. 59, St. Bona 41
FT Rate-Kent St. 26, St. Bona 21
OREB Pct.- Kent St. 31, St. Bona 16
TO Rate- St. Bona 13, Kent St. 23
Points of Emphasis:
Sweet start turned sour. Much to the delight of the Reilly Center faithful, the Bonnies raced out to a 12-2 lead. The Bonnies hit their first five attempts, including two from three point range. Kent State responded with a 15-2 run. At the half, coach Ron Senderoff’s Golden Flashes held a 29-28 lead.
Jonah Hinton opened the second half with a three pointer. Kent State responded with another 12-0 spurt. The Bonnies were within seven, 43-36, before a Jalen Sullinger three pointer. Pushed the lead to double-figures. Kent State was not seriously challenged after that point.
Inside/out. Early in the contest Kent State was able to trim the early deficit by getting inside the Bona defense. For a good part of the second half the damage was done from beyond the arc. The Golden Flashes shot 51% for the game including 8 of 11 (74%) from three In the final stanza. On the night, the Bonnies checked in at 34%, 30% from three.
The Bonnies were outrebounded by a 46-29 count. Kent State had a 14-0 edge in second chance points 38-20 in points in the paint.
“They were more aggressive,” coach Mark Schmidt told gobonnies.com. “They beat us in the paint and that is one of our areas where we have to (lead) because we don’t shoot the ball well, that’s an area we have to win and they dominated us. They dominated the offensive glass (10-7) and they just played better than us. We didn’t play well enough to beat a good team.”
Praise. We won 22 games and got off to a 14-1 start,” Schmidt said. “It’s one of the highest win totals in school history and these two guys (Noel Brown) and (Melvin Council) have done a really good job leading our team.”
Council gave his thoughts saying, “we brought in 10 new guys and became close in the summertime. I feel like I’ve known these guys for years and we just met a couple months ago.”
“I don’t think I could be any more grateful,” Brown added. “I know that 10 years down the road I’m going to look back and remember the people I saw here. We’re a family,” he continued. I know I’m going to be back here with the fans in 10 years. I love Bonaventure 100 percent.”
Kenpom.com MVP: Delrecco Gillespie, Kent State. The 6’8” junior posted a 12 point, 10 rebound double-double.
Kent State had four players in double-figures. Besides Gillespie, VonCameron Davis scored 14, and Jalen Sullinger and Cli’Ron Hornbeak had 11 each,
The Bonnies placed three in double-digits with Chance Moore posting a game-high 16 points. Jonah Hinton added 12 and Noel Brown 11.
Notes. This was the third NIT home game in the program’s history.
In the NIT the Bonnies are now 20-19 all-time.
Bonnies were outscored in the paint only five times this season.
Brown finished up playing 135 career games, including 67 the past two seasons with the Bonnies, shooting over 60% over the last two seasons.
Walk-ons Broek Ostrom and Jack DeRose both scored in the final minutes. Ostrom hit a mid-range jump shot while DeRose buried a three pointer. “They’re special kids, it’s hard to be a walk-on,” Schmidt said. “They work just as hard…When you have an opportunity to put them in you try to do that. It’s great they made shots. They love the university…those two are really special.”
Council has another year left. Bona’s senior guard knows there will be suitors but told Tapinto Greater Olean, “I’m not in for the money, I’m in for the culture.” Council said he feels the best thing is to return to Bonaventure but will discuss the situation with his family first.”
Bonnies were down to six healthy scholarship players for the game.
Kent State moves on and will visit Stanford for a second round game on Sunday.
For the Bonnies, the games are over. The off season promises to be very busy for the staff given the status quo in the college game these days.
“To be able to have an NIT home game says a lot about the type of season we had.” – Mark Schmidt
