Billikens stun Bonnies, ending quest for consecutive NCAA bids

By: Anthony Goss

St. Bonaventure senior point guard Kyle Lofton played 39 minutes and 59 seconds in Friday’s Atlantic 10 quarterfinal game against Saint Louis without attempting a single free throw. The Bonnies trailed Saint Louis, 57-56, when freshman Billikens guard Jordan Nesbitt fouled Lofton, sending him to the foul line to either win the game or force overtime.

The first shot went in and out. The second danced around the rim and bounced out. Lofton chased after his miss, but his rebound attempt failed to go in.

The memorable sequence ends the campaign for the former A-10 champions. Saint Louis defeated the Bonnies, avenging three straight defeats dating back to last year’s A-10 Tournament.

“He epitomizes everything we want in a player,” Bona’s head coach Mark Schmidt said of Lofton. “We wouldn’t have been the fourth seed without him.”

The game began with a made jumper from Lofton. The Bonnies then proceeded six minutes without another score.

“We knew it was going to be like this. In tournament games, you don’t get the opportunity to shoot here, so it’s gonna be more a defensive-oriented game,” Schmidt said.

The two conference powerhouses battled through the first half. Saint Louis used an 8-2 run to take a 26-20 lead, capped off by a pair of free throws from junior forward Francis Okoro. Okoro finished with 14 points all in the first half.

The Saint Louis front court prevented easy inside looks for the Bonnies and disrupted the rhythm of senior forward Osun Osunniyi.

“They pushed me out of position and kept me out of my comfort zone,” Osunniyi said.

A layup from senior guard Dominick Welch pulled the Bonnies within four, and they trailed, 26-22, at halftime.

Saint Louis extended their lead to six to start the second half, but Lofton led an 8-0 run to give the Bonnies the lead. The Billikens battled back to take a 47-37 lead thanks to the hot shooting of freshman guard Gibson Jimerson. Jimerson led all scorers with 20 points and shot 6-9 from three.

The Bonnies trailed by 10 with 10:57 left. A pair of threes from senior forward Jalen Adaway pulled the Bonnies closer, but they still trailed, 52-48, with less than four minutes remaining.

The Bonnies made runs late but seemingly played from behind for most of the second half.

“It wasn’t great execution. It was great defense. We’re not surprised,” Schmidt said.

Osunniyi made a layup with 1:24 remaining to put the Bonnies up 56-55. A series of missed shots and rebounds by both teams led to the Billikens controlling the ball with 17 seconds left. Jimerson hit the game-winning jump shot out of an inbounds play.

“It sucks for us to not win,” Osunniyi said. “It just didn’t go our way today.”

Senior guard Jaren Holmes missed a floater with four seconds remaining. Lofton secured an offensive rebound, but his two missed free throws ended the game and almost certainly dashed the Bonnies’ hopes of returning to March Madness.

Adaway led the Bonnies’ scoring with 18 points, and Welch added 14 as well with a 6-11 shooting night. Lofton scored 10 points with four assists and two steals.

“The countless hours we’ve spent together on and off the court…it’s been amazing,” Adaway said. “It’s just been amazing to actually spend time with these great people and all these experiences and memories we will have.”

Schmidt had only high praise for all five of his seniors despite the loss.

“I’m proud of these guys and what they represent to their families, to our program,” Schmidt said. “All those five starters, they’re in the gym all the time. They’re gym rats and that’s one of the reasons why we’ve had the success we’ve had.”

Adaway, Holmes lead as Bonnies pull away from Loyola

photo courtesy of gobonnies.com

By: Anthony Goss

Through nine games, the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team has shown a consistent storyline when it takes the court: a sluggish first half followed by a dominant second half.

Wednesday night’s matchup with Loyola Maryland at the Reilly Center proved no different. The Bonnies trailed by three after a lackluster first half but adjusted and blitzed the Greyhounds in the second half.

The Bonnies improved to 8-1, standing alone atop the Atlantic 10. Despite the win, the team showed displeasure with it’s performance.

“When we play without energy we’re just an average team. We gotta bring it all the time,” head coach Mark Schmidt said. “It’s great that we’re 8-1, but we gotta get better. The schedule’s gonna get more difficult.”

The Bonnies started hot from beyond the three-point arc. The first five makes for the Bonnies came from distance. However, the defense remained an issue throughout the first half. The Greyhounds made eight threes in the first half and shot 56% from the field in the first half, grabbing a 41-38 lead at halftime.

“That’s not how we play defense,” senior guard Jaren Holmes said. “In order for us to get back to the top of where we need to be and to be that top tier team, we’re gonna have to defend much better.”

The Bonnies asserted themselves in the second half. Though the Greyhounds hung around, three Jaren Holmes free throws off a foul on a three-point attempt put the Bonnies in the lead the rest of the game.

With Lofton out for the second consecutive game, Holmes shined as a facilitator and helped the scoring attack as well, producing a final stat line of 22 points and nine assists.

“When your leader is out, other guys have to step up,” Schmidt said. “Jaren has done a tremendous job of playing out of position.”

Holmes noted his teammates’ role in his success in a different position.

“I’m thankful for the guys though, they trust me,” Holmes said. “I’m just trying to make them better because when they’re better, we’re better.”

Senior guard Jalen Adaway added 22 points himself, building off a strong performance against Buffalo on Saturday. Adaway found his spots with ease and Loyola had no answer for his 9-14 shooting.

“I think my teammates give me the ball in the right position and I just try to do what I can to contribute to our team’s success,” Adaway said.

Redshirt freshman guard Quadry Adams gave the Bonnies a boost filling in for Lofton once again. Adams finished with 12 points on 6-7 shooting. Adams brought energy defensively that led to several fast-break chances and found gaps in the Loyola defense in the halfcourt.

“A game like this should give him confidence,” Schmidt said. “He needs to know what his strength is and I think he’s figuring that out.”

The Bonnies pulled away for a 84-71 win. Despite the win, team sensed the need to improve as the season continues.

“I have so much faith and trust in this team, that I know we’re gonna get better, and this is just the beginning of a long road,” Holmes said.

The Bonnies turn now to a much anticipated game on Saturday. They head to Newark to face No. 15 UConn in the Never Forget Tribute Classic

“We’re a long way from a finished product,” Schmidt said. “We gotta continue to work.”

Bonnies face Loyola Maryland in their final nonconference home game

photo courtesy of gobonnies.com

By: Anthony Goss

The St. Bonaventure Bonnies have hosted their last three games in the Reilly Center. On Wednesday they end their four-game home stretch against the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds.

St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt stressed the importance of his team protecting its home court. The Bonnies play away from the Reilly Center until a matchup with Fordham on Jan. 5.

“Every home game is critically important,” Schmidt said. “In order to have a good year, you gotta protect your home court.”

The Bonnies will look to build off their dramatic finish against Buffalo on Saturday. The win gave them a 7-1 record, good for first place in the Atlantic 10.

“We’re pleased that we’re 7-1, we’re not satisfied,” Schmidt said. “We need to continue to work.”

Loyola enters the game with a 5-4 record. The Greyhounds, out of the Patriot League, have won their last four games.

“In order for us to have success, we gotta play our A-game and our guys understand that,” Schmidt said. “They’re playing really well. Spencer and Andrews are really really good.”

Schmidt spoke highly of Loyola guard Cam Spencer. The junior leads the scoring for the Greyhounds with 19 points per game and grabs five rebounds per game.

“He’s got an old man’s game,” Schmidt said. “He’s one of the knowns. He can’t have a great game against us.”

With Kyle Lofton likely out of the lineup again, the Bonnies will need a collective effort to make up for the production from the senior point guard. Schmidt expects the younger players will stay ready with another opportunity on deck.

“They’ll be ready to play just because they know how important it is,” Schmidt said. “We’re gonna need them as we go forward in the season.”

Loyola and St. Bonaventure are scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Last-second Adaway three lifts Bonnies over Buffalo

image courtesy gobonnies.com

By: Anthony Goss

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team faced questions about its play this week.

The Bonnies had produced two underwhelming post-Charleston Classic performances and had learned senior point guard Kyle Lofton would miss the next several weeks with an ankle sprain.

The Bonnies provided an emphatic response with an intense win, 68-65, against the University of Buffalo at the Reilly Center Saturday afternoon.

“We just really rallied together and gave it our all and knew we could win this game,” senior guard Jalen Adaway said. “It’s just a matter of how tough are we willing to be.”

The teams traded buckets in the first half. UB led 27-23 with 4:28 left in the half before a Jalen Adaway three sparked a 12-2 Bonnies run, giving them a 35-29 lead at halftime.

“I thought our guys came out and played really aggressive, played downhill,” Bona’s head coach Mark Schmidt said.

The Bonnies remained in control after halftime. Seniors Jalen Adaway and Osun Osunniyi led the Bonnies’ scoring attack, while fellow senior Jaren Holmes impressed while facilitating the offense.

“I thought Jaren was tremendous playing out of position,” Schmidt said. “He’s a warrior.”

The lead grew to as many as 11, but Buffalo continued to hang around thanks to the play of senior forward Jeenathan Williams. The Bonnies forced six turnovers from the senior, but Williams continued to find baskets and smoothly finish at the rim.

Buffalo took a timeout after senior guard Dominick Welch gave the Bonnies a 63-52 lead with 3:05 remaining. But the Bulls made a final push, tying the game at 65 with 29 seconds left, setting up St. Bonaventure to take the last shot.

With the clock winding down, Holmes drove left, drawing two Buffalo defenders. Holmes passed the ball back out to Adaway who drained the game-winning three pointer with one second left, giving the Bonnies a 68-65 win and sending the Reilly Center into pandemonium.

“He’s always in the gym. He deserved to hit that shot,” Schmidt said. “When you put all that work in, you wanna have that shot.

“It’s priceless,” Adaway said. “I’m still trying to gather my thoughts and how happy I am and how big of a moment it really was.”

The win moved the Bonnies to 7-1 on the season. Despite missing on-court leadership from Lofton, the Bonnies showed an abundance of another attribute: toughness.

“We found a way to win. It’s a game of toughness,” Schmidt said. “Everything is skill and athleticism but when it comes down to it it’s a game of toughness and I thought we made those tough plays when we needed to.”

Bona’s reserves had arguably their most impactful game of the season. Quadry Adams took the Lofton’s spot in the starting lineup, finishing with only six points but adding a perimeter defensive presence necessary in Lofton’s absence.

Redshirt sophomore Linton Brown had 10 points (all in the first half) and shot 2-4 from three. Abdoul Karim Coulibaly provided a paint presence when senior big Osun Osunniyi sat due to foul trouble.

“It’s just them being positive when they’re on the floor and I thought all three of those guys did a really good job tonight,” Schmidt said.

After defeating Buffalo, the Bonnies face Loyola (MD) on Wednesday before a road matchup with UConn on Dec. 11.

“We all have to get better. We’re not a finished product by any means,” Schmidt said. “We have a lot more game in us.”

Lofton injures ankle as Bonnies fend off Coppin State

image courtesy of gobonnies.com

By: Anthony Goss

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team hoped to find answers for their early-season miscues Wednesday night against the Coppin State Eagles. Instead, they left Bob Lanier Court with more questions.

The Bonnies started slowly in the first half, unable to separate from 1-9 Coppin State. The inconsistent level of play from the first to second half has become concerning for reigning Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, Mark Schmidt.

“I didn’t think we played hard in the first half,” Schmidt said. “I thought Coppin played harder than we did. When you play harder, good things can happen.”

A back-and-forth first half saw the Bonnies down 30-29 with just under five minutes to play. The Golden Eagles reeled off 11 straight points, capped off with a Tyree Corbett layup, giving the visiting team a 12-point lead with 2:39 remaining.

The Bonnies quickly responded with an Abdoul Karim Coulibaly three, which cut the deficit to just four at half. The bench production was one of the few bright spots for St. Bonaventure.

Coulibaly finished with 10 points as the Bonnies looked to give him touches inside. Quadry Adams added just four points, but he made his impact defensively.

“I thought Karim and Quadry came in and gave us a lift,” Schmidt said. “Quadry didn’t have a great line, but I thought he played a great defensive game.”

Once again, the Bonnies improved their play in the second half. A pair of Jalen Adaway free throws with 15:45 remaining in the game gave the Bonnies the lead.

Adaway finished with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Senior guard Jaren Holmes led the Bonnies in scoring with 24 points; he also had 10 rebounds.

St. Bonaventure expanded its lead to 13 points, but the Eagles hung around. The starters remained on the court, and senior guard Kyle Lofton took a hard fall with 50 seconds left in the game. Coaches and trainers carried him to the sidelines.

Lofton had 16 points and 9 assists in the game. When asked about Lofton’s status, Schmidt responded, “I am not a doctor.”

The Bonnies won the game, 93-81, but took no solace in their performance against Coppin State.

“I’m not really pleased,” Holmes said. “We’re a better team. We’ll get better, we gotta fix some things. We can’t keep coming out like that.”

The Bonnies improve to 6-1. But with the status of their star point guard in question, they face arguably their biggest test this season Saturday against Buffalo.

The Bonnies need to find answers fast.

Bonnies outlast Tigers, advance to Charleston Classic final

photo courtesy of gobonnies.com

By: Anthony Goss, Sports Editor

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Through its first three games this season, the No. 22 St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team had shot 22% from three. The Bonnies’ offense found their groove down the stretch against Clemson, defeating the Tigers 68-65 in the Charleston Classic semifinal.

Once again, the Brown and White found themselves in a grind. The Bonnies started the game with a backdoor layup from senior point guard Kyle Lofton, but Clemson rattled off 11 straight points and controlled the rest of the first half.

The Tigers’ lead grew to 16 but the Bonnies cut the deficit to 10 at the intermission.

“First half we really struggled,” St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt said. “We were happy being down 10 at halftime the way we played.”

With 12:33 left in the second half, PJ Hall knocked down a jumper, giving Clemson a 53-42 lead. Hall finished with 22 points.

“Clemson is well-coached,” Schmidt said. We had a terrible time guarding Hall.”

After a media timeout with 10:59 left in the game, St. Bonaventure drastically turned the momentum of the game. A 16-0 run punctuated by a 3-pointer from senior guard Jaren Holmes gave the Bonnies a 58-53 lead and they stayed in front through the final buzzer.

“We just showed some physical and mental toughness,” Schmidt said. “We didn’t panic.”

Lofton and Holmes shot a combined 8-of-9 from three in the second half, finishing with 22 points and 19 points respectively.

“I was definitely confident,” Lofton said. “I’m one of those shooters where I see one go in, the basket gets bigger.”

St. Bonaventure’s backcourt not only made a difference from the 3-point line but also the foul line. Holmes and Lofton shot a perfect 8-of-8 at the line. Clemson shot 4-of-8 as a team.

“Coach Schmidt prepares us for situations like that,” Holmes said. “I think our togetherness, and our brotherhood, it just shows.”

Bona’s fans made an impact for the second straight day in TD Arena, giving the team an extra boost as St. Bonaventure mounted its comeback.

“The Bona faithful got us through it again,” Holmes said. “They’re the best fanbase in the country. We need them every game and every game is a home game for us honestly.”

St. Bonaventure faces Marquette in the Charleston Classic championship game, Sunday at 7:30 on ESPN.

Loyola Chicago accepts invitation to Atlantic 10, will join next season

Courtesy: loyolaramblers.com

By: Anthony Goss

CHICAGO — Loyola University at Chicago has accepted an invitation to join the Atlantic 10 conference beginning in the 2022-23 academic year, the school announced yesterday.

The move comes amid major conference realignment developments in collegiate athletics within the 2021 year.

“Loyola’s commitment to the high-level scholastic achievement of all of its students, coupled with its excellent athletic profile, from success in basketball, soccer and volleyball to outstanding facilities and resources is a perfect fit for the A-10,” said A-10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade. “The addition expands the A-10 footprint into the Chicago market, giving the conference a presence in three of the top four media markets in the United States.”

Loyola participates in 13 of the 21 sponsored sports by the A-10, but the move carries the largest weight in men’s basketball. In three of the last four seasons, the Ramblers have won at least a share of the Missouri Valley regular-season championship. The Ramblers reached the Sweet 16 last season and the Final Four in 2018.

St. Bonaventure has its own connection to Loyola athletics. Current Loyola-Chicago director of athletics Steve Watson previously served as the director of athletics at Bona’s. Watson hired Mark Schmidt in 2007, who revitalized the men’s basketball team by leading the Bonnies to their first A-10 conference title in program history in 2012. The women’s program had its best season to date, going 31-4 and reaching the Sweet 16

Besides the basketball programs, St. Bonaventure’s women’s soccer team qualified for the conference tournament in six straight seasons and both men’s and women’s cross country had historic seasons.

Watson oversaw several athletic facility improvements and upgrades in his tenure at St. Bonaventure, most notably the unveiling of Bob Lanier Court.

Bonnies defeat Saints, best start since 2012

photo courtesy of gobonnies.com

By: Anthony Goss

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — “You can always defend and rebound,” St. Bonaventure women’s basketball coach Jesse Fleming said.

The Bonnies grinded out a win against rival Siena on Tuesday night at the Reilly Center 50-42. The win came in spite of poor offensive execution, according to Fleming.

“I’m not happy, as far as execution goes,” Fleming said. “I don’t think we got a lot through the offense. Against the top teams in the A10 that’s not gonna work.”

Instead, the Bonnies secured the win through suffocating defense and control of the glass. Siena shot 22% from the field and St. Bonaventure outrebounded the Saints 44-39.

Down 22-21 at the break and finding offense sparingly, the Bonnies looked for a spark in the second half. Newcomer Tianna Johnson provided a boost for her squad with nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

“Jesse is always on us about rebounding and crashing hard,” T. Johnson said. “If I get boards it’s just for my team.”

Senior guard Asianae Johnson helped the Bonnies close out the Saints at the end. She scored eight of her 19 points in the fourth quarter, including a perfect 4-4 from the foul line.

To Fleming, Johnson’s defensive efforts proved the biggest factor in winning the game.

With 27 seconds remaining in the third quarter, A. Johnson drew a charge on Siena guard Amari Anthony and proceeded to draw another foul at the offensive end. She hit both free throws and tied the score at 34-34 before the fourth quarter.

“That was huge. I thought that was a big-time play by a senior,” Fleming said. “If she can do it, then everyone else on the team is gonna go and sacrifice their body.”

Siena guard Rayshel Brown had 14 points for the night. She and A. Johnson traded baskets throughout, reminding Johnson of their previous matchup in the PSAL in New York.

“It felt like high school, honestly,” Johnson said. “It was a little scuffle during but it was all love at the end of the day.”

Neither team hit shots from the outside, but St. Bonaventure capitalized in key areas. The Bonnies outscored the Saints in the paint 28-14. They also made 14 free throws to only 11 from Siena.

“Getting to the free-throw line was very much crucial to us,” A. Johnson said. “We didn’t hit a three but we made that up with getting to the line.”

The 2-0 start to the season marks the best for the Bonnies since 2012. They look to build on their hot start when they face the Cleveland State Vikings in their first road matchup of the year.