Adaway, Holmes lead as Bonnies pull away from Loyola

photo courtesy of gobonnies.com

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 face Tigers in Charleston Classic semifinal

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By: Anthony Goss

“People are realizing nationally what the alumni base of Bonaventure is. There’s nothing more passionate, more proud,” St. Bonaventure men’s basketball coach Mark Schmidt said yesterday.

The passionate fans of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team fueled Mark Schmidt’s squad to a tough win Thursday afternoon against Boise State. However, The No. 22 ranked team in the nation has a quick turnaround for their semifinal matchup in the Charleston Classic.

On Friday afternoon, the Bonnies face the undefeated Clemson Tigers out of the ACC. Just like St. Bonaventure, the Tigers, coached by Brad Brownell, qualified for the NCAA Tournament last March.

Senior forward Hunter Tyson leads the Tigers in scoring with 14 points per game. Tyson tallied only 10 points yesterday, but made both three point shots he took.

Besides Tyson, Clemson has noteworthy shooting prowess. The Tigers shoot 48% from beyond the arc, and used their shooting to down Temple yesterday by making 11 of 21 from three.

On the other hand, St. Bonaventure has struggled mightily from three on offense through three games (21.7%). If the Bonnies cannot make shots on their end, their defense needs to limit the Tigers from deep.

The Tigers also pose depth and versatility. In each of their wins, a different player has led in scoring. Nick Honor led Clemson yesterday with 19 points, making all seven of his shots, four coming behind the three point line.

In contrast, the experienced Bonnies tout a strong defense ranked 12th in the nation in defensive field goal percentage. The Bonnies showcased their defensive versatility as well in yesterday’s matchup.

After Boise State’s Emmanuel Akot started with 24 points, Schmidt placed senior guard Dominick Welch on the senior Bronco. Akot went scoreless for the final seven minutes.

With an abundance of scoring options posed by the Tigers, the Bonnies will need a strong defensive showing as they continue to find their groove offensively.

In what could be another grind, the fans at TD Arena could make a difference. Clemson plays in their home state, but the St. Bonaventure supporters had a strong display against Boise State.

St. Bonaventure and Clemson tip off at 2:30 on ESPN2.

Bonnies face Broncos, looking for strong start in Charleston

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By: Anthony Goss

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team heads south this week for the Shriner Children’s Charleston Classic after they survived an upset scare from Canisius on Sunday evening.

“We know what we’re up against, tremendous coaches, tremendous teams, programs,” said Bonnies head coach Mark Schmidt.

The Bonnies head south this week for the Shriner Children’s Charleston Classic after they survived an upset scare from Canisius on Sunday evening.

The Bonnies started slow at the Reilly Center against Canisius and Siena but managed to win both games. Schmidt knows his team cannot afford a similar start at TD Arena.

“At home sometimes you can get behind, you can catch up. On the road it’s that much more difficult,” Schmidt said. “We like to make teams adjust to us.”

Despite the excitement surrounding their participation, the Bonnies remain focused on Boise State, their first opponent in the tournament.

“Coach Rice, he’s a tremendous coach, runs good stuff, plays good defense. He’s successful for a reason,” Schmidt said. “All respect in the world to Boise State. They’ve done it for a number of years.”

The Bonnies, heralded for their experience, face an opponent with a similar makeup in the Broncos. Boise State touts a starting lineup of all seniors, including Marcus Shaver Jr. and Devonaire Doutrive, who both average 14 points per game.

“Overall just really really talented,” Schmidt said. “They’re long, athletic, aggressive.”

Boise State comes off a home loss to UC Irvine, 58-50, a game where they shot 14% from three. Just like the Broncos, the Bonnies have struggled behind the three-point arc this season. Both teams sit well under 25% through two games.

Since the Bonnies have had their own offensive problems to start, they could rely on their defense in this matchup. They have allowed 54 points per game through two games and have a defensive effective field goal percentage of 38.8%.

“You win by playing defense especially early in the season,” Schmidt said. “Offense is usually behind the defense on every team.”

The Bonnies now enter a stretch of three games in four days, all against quality competition. Schmidt knows other contributors besides the five seniors will need to step up.

“We’re gonna need to have our bench come in for us and be productive,” Schmidt said. “Playing three games in four days is a lot to ask our five seniors. There’ll be an opportunity and hopefully, our young guys can come through.”

In this stretch of games, the Bonnies have a chance to earn even more respect on a national stage.

“For the guys that came before us and the guys on the team now they deserve to play in a tournament like this,” Schmidt said. “It’s a tremendous thing for our program to be on ESPN and get some national recognition.”

Tip off is at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.

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 host Saints in season opener

photo courtesy of gobonnies.sbu.edu

By: Anthony Goss

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — “The Reilly Center, there’s nothing like it,” St. Bonaventure men’s basketball coach Mark Schmidt said.

He and his nationally ranked Bonnies welcome back fans to the Reilly Center in Tuesday’s season opener against Siena after a successful season playing in front of empty seats.

But besides the return of fans and the unveiling of an A-10 championship banner and rings provides one more chance for the Bonnies to reminisce on one of the best seasons in program history.

“Those kids deserve to have the banner raised and given out their rings,” Schmidt said.

After the celebration though, Bona’s turns their full attention to reigning MAAC champion Siena Saints. The teams renew their rivalry in a battle traditionally known as the Franciscan Cup.

Though the Bonnies’ expectations are lustrous, they have lost their last three home-openers with fans present.

They also lost their previous matchup with Siena 78-65 in 2019.

“There’s only a rivalry because both teams have won and both teams have lost,” Schmidt said. “There’s no rivalry if one team has dominated the other.”

In the Bonnies’ exhibition against Alfred on Thursday, redshirt sophomore Linton Brown and redshirt freshman Quadry Adams led the way with 19 and 13 points, respectively. While senior guards Kyle Lofton and Jalen Adaway remain game-time decisions, Bona’s will look to their newcomers to provide a spark.

“They just need to come in and play their role,” Schmidt said. “If they play to their strengths, I think they’re good enough players to help us this year.”

Siena will rely on newcomers of their own. Anthony Gaines, a former four-star recruit, boasts top-line athleticism and transfers Jayce Johnson and Colby Rodgers both look for bigger roles on head coach Carmen Maciariello’s squad.

But the Saints’ most dangerous weapon roams the paint, and his name is Jackson Stormo. He returns for his senior year after a breakout season, averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds.

The Bonnies must attempt to slow Stromo while simultaneously accounting for the new talent without a lot of film to prepare them.

“They’re really good players. We know what those guys can do. The question is can we stop them?” Schmidt said.

Schmidt has tried to prepare them as best as possible, despite the lack of film on Siena’s newer players.

“Every season opener is the same way. You don’t know what they’re gonna run, you don’t have tape,” Schmidt said. “You really try to take care of yourself and prepare the best you can.”

Schmidt expects his team’s national ranking to become an afterthought come tip off.

“When the game starts, Siena doesn’t care if we’re ranked twenty-third,” Schmidt said. “We’re gonna go out and play like we play all the time with a chip on our shoulder. We’re gonna play hard.”