Photo: Sean Wallace / The Bona Venture
BY: WILL NUNN; CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SPORTS EDITOR
As the saying goes, it’s hard to beat a team three times. After being swept in two regular season meetings, the St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team defeated George Mason University 63-57 in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Championship Thursday.
Led by a career-high 20 points from redshirt junior guard Dasonte Bowen–who played all 40 minutes–the Bonnies (17-16, 4-14 A-10) erased a deficit of as many as 11 points to keep their season–and Head Coach Mark Schmidt’s career–alive for another day.
“It was my teammates,” said Bowen. “Coach calling the right plays and my teammates finding me in the right spots. When it gets to crunch time, that’s when the guys that put the most work in start to show. I just trusted my work and my teammates are great at putting me in the right position.”
Schmidt praised Bowen’s leadership, crediting it with putting the Bonnies in position to be successful all season long.
“He knows what I want,” said Schmidt. “He’s smart, he’s a competitor and the kids respect him. When I leave that locker room, he’s got my back, and when he has my back, we have a chance to be successful.”
Senior forward Frank Mitchell added 14 points and seven boards for Bonaventure, and senior guard Cayden Charles recorded 12 points and seven rebounds.
Leading the way for the Patriots (23-9, 11-7 A-10) was graduate guard Jahari Long, whose 17 points led the team. Junior forward Riley Allenspach poured in 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and junior guard Kory Mincy added a dozen points.
The Bonnies struggled to create offense in the first half, shooting just 9-of-23 from the floor and 1-of-7 from beyond the arc in the half. George Mason forced six Bonaventure turnovers in the half and won the rebound margin 18-13.
George Mason held a lead for the majority of the half, and grabbed its largest lead in the closing seconds, carrying a 34-24 lead into the break.
Long paced the Patriot offense with 14 points in the opening half, shooting 3-of-5 from deep. Allenspach added eight points heading into the half.
Mitchell led the way for Bonaventure with eight first-half points, while Bowen and junior guard Darryl Simmons II added seven and six points, respectively.
Bonaventure would close the gap in the second half, cutting the lead to one inside of 11 minutes to play capped off by a lob from Simmons to freshman center Andrew Osasuyi, bringing the Bonnies faithful to its feet.
Bonaventure was still within one at the final media timeout with four minutes to play, when graduate forward Nick Ellington was called for a flagrant foul on Osasuyi. The Bonnies would take the lead on the ensuing possession when Charles knocked down a pair at the line.
Up by three inside of a minute to play, Mitchell’s putback layup put the Bonnies up by five, and a rebound on the other end put the game on ice, as Bonaventure closed the game with a 13-2 run.
“I’m really proud of our effort,” said Schmidt. “Things weren’t going well, we were down by 10 at halftime, and the guys wouldn’t quit, they fought and they’re winning players.”
The Bonnies advance to play Dayton University in the quarterfinals on Friday. The game is scheduled to tip off at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on USA Network and the Bonnies Online Network.
