Photo courtesy of gobonnies.com
BY: WILL NUNN; CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SPORTS EDITOR
There are few fanbases as passionate–in the good and the bad–as that of the St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team. This was never more evident than in a 71-65 loss to Saint Joseph’s University sparsely populated Reilly Center on Wednesday night.
The Bonnies (14-12, 3-10 A-10) were led on the night by junior guard Darryl Simmons II, whose 18 points led the team. Senior forward Frank Mitchell added 12 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and freshman center Andrew Osasuyi recorded a career-high eight blocks, the most by a Bonnie since 2012.
Five players scored in double figures for the Hawks (16-10, 8-5 A-10). Leading all scorers was senior guard Derek Simpson with 23 points. Freshman guard Austin WIlliford knocked down four 3-pointers in a 14-point outing, and graduate center Justice Ajogbor tacked on 12 points and nine rebounds.
In front of an energy-filled, yet small crowd and a half-empty student section, the Bonnies scored the first four points of the game and led by three at the first media timeout.
The Hawks took a 26-19 lead thanks to a six-minute Bonaventure scoring drought going into the media timeout with under four minutes to play in the half. Out of the timeout, redshirt junior guard Dasonte Bowen broke the drought, connecting from beyond the arc.
The lackluster Reilly Center crowd popped when Simmons knocked down a 3-pointer to cap off an 11-0 Bonaventure run, giving the Bonnies a 30-26 lead in the dying minutes of the half.
The back-and-forth first half ended with the Bonnies in front 30-28. Simmons led the Bonnies with 10 points and Mitchell recorded eight rebounds–four of which were on the offensive glass–to lead both squads at the half.
Williford led all scorers with 11 first-half points to go along with three rebounds, and Simpson tacked on eight points before the halftime break.
The crowd popped once again eight minutes into the second half after Osasuyi recorded blocks on consecutive possessions leading to a transition three by Simmons on the other end, cutting the Hawks’ lead to three.
The roughly 3,600 fans in the Reilly Center erupted in a standing ovation after a 6-0 Bonaventure run, capped off by a Simmons pull-up jumper, put the Bonnies ahead 58-55 with six minutes remaining.
This excitement was short-lived, as the Bonnies were held scoreless for nearly four minutes down the stretch as the Hawks pulled away. With under a minute to play and the Bonnies trailing 67-62, senior guard Cayden Charles had his 3-pointer blocked, and fans began to streak for the exits, as the clock ran out on Bonaventure’s 10th conference loss.
St. Bonaventure goes on the road to do battle with Richmond University for the second time this season on Saturday, Feb. 21. The game is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+ and broadcast live on the Bonnies Online Network.
