In a game featuring seven ties and ten lead changes, the Bonnies snapped a two game slide, defeating Richmond 71-63 at the Reilly Center. Saturday’s game saw Bona improve to 9-9 (3-2). Richmond dropped to 10-8 (3-2). Numbers and notes…
Possessions: 69. A moderate paced game. Just a bit over Richmond’s average 65 possessions per outing.
Offensive efficiency: St. Bona 103, Richmond 91. Bona defense did the job as Chris Mooney’s Spiders average 101 efficiency in A10 play. On the afternoon they were decidedly below par.
“It wasn’t pretty but our defense really carried us,” Bona coach Mark Schmidt told gobonnies.com. “Defense has to be the staple, and I thought we defended really well.”
Four Factors:
eFG pct: Richmond 46, St. Bona 45. Somewhat deceptive numbers. The first half Bona struggled, shooting 26% from the floor. The final 20 minutes the shooting percentage improved to 48%.
FT rate: Richmond 42, St. Bona 40. Schmidt was especially pleased that the free throw situation did not see a significant disparity. Richmond was 17 of 21 (81%) while Bona converted 19 for 23 (83%).
OREB pct: St. Bona 24, Richmond 19. Bonnies had the offensive rebounding edge and came out on top 34-32 in total rebounds. Bonnies Anquan Hill, playing very well of late, paced all in the rebounding department with 10.
TO rate: St. Bona 12, Richmond 22. Once again the Bonnies had a strong showing in the turnover department. Bona turned it over eight times while forcing Richmond into 15 miscues.
Bona trailed 29-23 at intermission. The offense, obviously, was struggling. Bona opened the first four minutes of the second half outscoring Richmond 8-4. That four minute spurt was part of a 25-6 run by the Bonnies over a ten minute span. The Bona lead grew to 15 with just over seven minutes remaining.
Finishing the job. Richmond, despite being behind by double figures, was not about to go away. The Spiders made a final run trimming the Bona lead to four with 2:50 remaining. The Bonnies responded and, for all intents, sealed it when Daryl Banks III canned a three with 97 seconds remaining that pushed the Bona lead back to nine.
Kenpom.com MVP: Daryl Banks III. The Bona junior tied teammate Moses Flowers for game scoring honors with 20 points. Banks III canned three treys while going nine of ten from the charity stripe.
Flowers, coming off the bench, also hit three from long range. Flowers scored 15 of his points in the second half to key the Bona offensive spurt. Kyrell Luc added 17 for the Bonnies.
Matt Grace led Richmond with 16 while Tyler Burton, a frequent Bona nemesis, was limited to 15. Burton grabbed five rebounds but was guilty of four turnovers.
Bounce back. Bonnies suffered a tough, heartbreaking loss at Rhode Island on Wednesday. That left two days to prepare for a dangerous Richmond team, winners in five of their last six. As noted, the first half Saturday saw the offense sputter to the tune of a 23 point production. The second half was a completely different story. Defense continued to dig in and the shots started to fall. The result, a significant victory for a young group still finding their way.
Next up. Bonnies entertain Duquesne at the Reilly Center on Wednesday. Dukes are coming off a win at Saint Joseph’s the past Wednesday. Keith Dambrot’s group is 3-2 in A10 play. They enter the RC with a 109 offensive efficiency in A10 play, good for fourth in the conference. Bona checks in seventh with a 104.
“It was a team victory. Our guys are learning, we are going to get better offensively, but it was a really good win against a strong team.” – Mark Schmidt
