Bonnies outlast Tigers, advance to Charleston Classic final

photo courtesy of gobonnies.com

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.

Bonnies face Tigers in Charleston Classic semifinal

photo courtesy of gobonnies.com

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

photo courtesy of gobonnies.com

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.