Posted: Jan 14, 2021
ST. BONAVENTURE (5-1, 3-1) vs. DUQUESNE (3-4, 2-3)
Friday, Jan. 15 - 7:00 p.m.
Reilly Center
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Bonnies Basketball Radio Network
Online Coverage: Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Complete Game Notes (PDF) | Virtual Gameday Program (PDF)
OPENING TIP
St. Bonaventure plays its second game in just over 48 hours when it welcomes Duquesne to the Reilly Center in the national spotlight as part of the Atlantic 10/ESPN Friday Night Showcase. The game will air live nationally on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Although fans are not allowed to be in the Reilly Center this season, there are still plenty of ways to stay involved with St. Bonaventure basketball on game days. The goal of St. Bonaventure Athletics is to share as much of the experience of the Reilly Center as possible so loyal Bonnies fans can feel a part of the action.
Fans can get information on each individual game including key facts about players, opposing teams and where to watch and listen to games on TV and online by visiting GoBonnies.com/Gameday.
GAME NOTES
- The Bonnies are off to their best start since 2014-15 when the team began 6-1. Prior to that, the last time the Bonnies had a better start was the 8-1 opening to the 2000-01 NCAA Tourney season.
- Jaren Holmes has been on a roll of late, averaging 27 points per game over his last three contests (at Richmond, vs. Saint Joseph's, at Fordham). During that span, he is shooting 62% from the floor overall (31-for-50) and an even better 65% from long distance (15-for-23). For the season he is a 56% shooter from 3-point land, best in the A-10. In the Bonnies' only loss of the season Dec. 30 at Rhode Island, he was limited to less than two minutes of action due to back spasms. When he is available for a full game the Bonnies are 5-0.
- The Bonnies have the No. 1-ranked players in the entire A-10 for both overall field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage. Jalen Adaway leads the A-10 by shooting 73 percent from the floor (30-41) while Holmes paces the league in shooting beyond the arc. Further, Adaway leads the nation in field goal percentage and Holmes stands fourth nationally in three-point percentage.
- Kyle Lofton became the 45th member of the Bonnies 1,000-point club with his 14-point effort on Wednesday at Fordham. In 71 career games, he has 57 double-figure scoring efforts, a field goal in all but two games and an assist in every game. One of the nation's top point guards, he led the Atlantic 10 in assists last year and ranks second in the league with 5.8 apg so far this year, a total that stands 22nd nationally.
BONNIES IN THE NET
Bona currently stands No. 60 in the NCAA NET rankings with a Quadrant 1 road win at Richmond earlier this month. Several A-10 teams rank highly in the current NET standings: Saint Louis (14), VCU (50), Richmond (58), Bonaventure (60), Rhode Island (76) and Davidson (89) are all in the Top 100.
ADAWAY'S ADDITION
When the Bonnies finally played their first game of the season Dec. 15 vs. Akron, Jalen Adaway returned to the court in the season-opener for his first Division I game action in 648 days after playing two seasons at Miami (OH) and sitting out last year as a transfer. During his sit year, head coach Mark Schmidt said at times he was the best player in practices and consistently forced the rest of the team to match his energy level.
- He tallied a career-high 24 points on 11-of-12 shooting Jan. 6 vs. Saint Joseph's.
- In four A-10 games, he is averaging 14.3 ppg while shooting nearly 77% from the floor (23-30).
ABOUT DUQUESNE
Like the Bonnies, the Dukes have been hit hard with COVID delays. Duquesne split a pair of season-opening games in Louisville vs. Little Rock (L, 76-66) and UNC-Greensboro (W, 81-68), but then went on pause until Jan. 2 as the virus ran through the team.
Since returning, Duquesne split a back-to-back series at GW, won at Fordham on the road by three points and suffered setbacks vs. Davidson and Dayton, with the game against the Flyers ending less than 48 hours before Friday's scheduled tip.
Duquesne, which has won five of its past eight Atlantic 10 road games, is looking to win back-to-back games at St. Bonaventure for the first time since 2006 & 2007.
DU head coach Keith Dambrot has used at least 10 players in each of the Dukes' first seven games. Three fifth-year seniors (Marcus Weathers, Michael Hughes and Tavian Dunn-Martin) along with two true freshmen (Toby Okani and Chad Baker) have started the past two games. Freshmen Tyson Acuff, Andre Harris and Mike Bekelja - along with first-year grad transfer Ryan Murphy, who joined the team on Dec. 11 - have also been part of Duquesne's rotation.
PREVIOUS MEETING
Duquesne 81, St. Bonaventure 77 (2/22/20 - OT)
Osun Osunniyi registered a then-career-high 23 points along with 13 rebounds and three blocks, but it wasn't enough in a heartbreaker vs. Duquesne as the Dukes came away with an 81-77 victory at the Reilly Center.
Bona held a 66-61 margin with three minutes left following a hook in the lane from Osun as the Dukes went nearly four minutes without a field goal.
Bona (18-10, 10-5) still held a 70-67 lead following a bucket from Kyle Lofton with 39 seconds left, but a hook shot from Michael Hughes made it a one-point game and, after the Bonnies went one for two at the line, a foul sent Sincere Carry to the stripe where he made both with 13 seconds left for the tie.
In the extra period, Baylee Steele hit a three to start the scoring and the Dukes would never trail, though the Bonnies had multiple chances to tie or take the lead down the stretch. Down a point, 78-77, the Bonnies turned it over on a charge call with 23 seconds left to go, forcing them to foul. Tavian Dunn-Martin went one of two at the line, leaving the door open, but another turnover ended Bona's hopes.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 125th meeting between the longtime A-10 rivals. St. Bonaventure leads the series, 64-60. St. Bonaventure has won eight of the last nine, but had an eight-game winning streak snapped in last February's Duquesne overtime win. In 100 seasons of basketball, the Bonnies have only played Western New York rivals Canisius (168 meetings) and Niagara (160) more than Duquesne. Last year, the two teams had a pair of highly entertaining games. In the first meeting, Kyle Lofton's trey snapped what was a four-minute cold spell that caused a 77-70 Bonnies lead to turn into a 77-77 tie as the clock ticked under 90 seconds. Though forced to sit for a time during the late minutes because of four fouls, Lofton finished with 21 points and seven assists on 7-of-11 shooting as the Bonnies won, 83-80. Bona has won eight of the last 10 vs. Duquesne dating to 2016, but seven of those 10 games have been decided by six or fewer points.
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For the latest news on St. Bonaventure athletics, stay connected on social media. Follow the Bonnies on Twitter @GoBonnies and get men's basketball updates @BonniesMBB. Keep up with the Bonnies on Facebook /GoBonnies and on Instagram @GoBonnies.
For the latest news on St. Bonaventure athletics, stay connected on social media. Follow the Bonnies on Twitter @GoBonnies and get men's basketball updates @BonniesMBB. Keep up with the Bonnies on Facebook /GoBonnies and on Instagram @GoBonnies.
