Buffalo game wiped out by positive test; Bonnies finish shortest non-conference schedule ever

photo courtesy of gobonnies.sbu.edu

ST. BONAVENTURE, NY — It was bound to happen once. Twice was a coincidence. But after another cancelation, the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team is facing a non-conference schedule of only two games.

The Bonnies were scheduled to play Buffalo at the Reilly Center on Tuesday, in what would have been their final non-conference game of the 2020-21 season. SBU had previously beaten Akron and Hofstra to earn its first 2-0 start to a season in seven years. After six game cancelations over the past four weeks, however, the program is also looking at the shortest non-conference schedule in its history.

About 30 hours before scheduled tip-off against Buffalo, the Bulls announced that a member of their “Tier 1” personnel, which includes student-athletes, coaches, team managers and support staff, had tested positive for COVID-19. The program was notified of the test result, which came from its regular surveillance testing in accordance with NCAA guidelines, on Sunday.

This comes just nine days after the Bonnies’ scheduled home opener against St. Francis (PA) was canceled due to a positive test within the Red Flash’s program.

Bona was able to christen the RC for the building’s 54th season against Hofstra, which now could end up being the only non-conference game played there this season. SBU was also scheduled to make a trip to the Mohegan Sun Arena bubble in late November, which was canceled due to a positive COVID-19 test within Bona’s program.

Unless SBU adds an opponent to its schedule over the next week, the Bonnies’ next competition will be an Atlantic 10 game. Bona is scheduled to play at Rhode Island on Dec. 30 and at Richmond on Jan. 2, before hosting Saint Joseph’s on Jan. 6 in what will presumably be the team’s A-10 home opener.

If this is indeed how Bona’s non-conference schedule will end, it will be the first time the Bonnies will have gone undefeated in non-conference play. This was the first time since 2013-14 that the team started a season 2-0.

Men’s basketball: Adams shines again, Gregg controls crunch time as Bonnies beat UB

(Photo Credit: GoBonnies.com)

By Chuckie Maggio @chuckiemaggio

St. Bonaventure senior forward Denzel Gregg noticed the Buffalo Bulls weren’t playing help defense on the backscreens the Bonnies were setting midway through the second half of Saturday afternoon’s game against the Buffalo Bulls.

Like he has done many times in his Bonaventure career, Gregg called for the alley-oop pass. Point guard Jaylen Adams obliged, and Gregg stuffed it home.

But the Syracuse, N.Y. native wasn’t done there. A little over a minute later, the passing lane opened again, Adams threw another one up to his 6-foot-7 teammate and the Reilly Center became Lob City once more.

UB coach Nate Oats called it the most frustrating sequence of a 90-84 Bonaventure victory. Gregg said it was “just Xs and Os.” A student standing behind press row called it the most exciting moment of the game, and many of the 5,012 fans in attendance would likely agree.

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Men’s basketball: Expect a defensive game between Bonnies and Bulls

(Photo Credit: GoBonnies.com)

By Chuckie Maggio @chuckiemaggio

A combined 3-of-34 effort from behind the three-point line. 37 total turnovers. Four points in the final seven minutes by the eventual winning team.

Last year’s St. Bonaventure-Buffalo men’s basketball game, a 60-58 Bona win, was ugly.

This year’s meeting, as Bonaventure honors its 1977 NIT championship team, retires program leading scorer Greg Sanders’ number and hosts the Bulls at 4 p.m. in the Reilly Center, will likely not be as much of an eyesore. However, it could be another defense-dominant matchup.

“I watched the game last year,” said guard Matt Mobley, who had to sit last year due to NCAA transfer rules. “It was a real defensive battle, but they’re a good defensive team and we’re a good defensive team, so it might just be another defensive battle.”

Mobley’s claim that UB is a good defensive team is up for debate, as the 4-3 Bulls have allowed 76.8 points per game through their first seven. However, in five of the last six meetings between the teams, neither squad has managed to reach the 80-point mark.

Continue reading “Men’s basketball: Expect a defensive game between Bonnies and Bulls” →