Bonnies Bounce Back Triumphantly Against Richmond!

By: Scott Eddy, Assistant Athletics Director for Strategic Communications

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – St. Bonaventure returned to fundamentals on Wednesday night and back into the win column by focusing on defense, dominating the rebounding battle, and managing the ball effectively, achieving a 63-49 win over Richmond at the Reilly Center.

Sophomore Jonah Hinton hit a career-high 19 points, leading all scorers. Chance Moore narrowly missed another double-double finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Melvin Council Jr. again contributed significantly with 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

St. Bonaventure (15-3, 3-2 Atlantic 10) restricted Richmond to a shooting percentage of 35 in the second half, allowing just 1-of-5 from beyond the arc after halftime.

The Spiders (7-11, 2-3) appeared to find success from long range early on as Jason Roche, one of the A-10’s premier three-point marksmen, caught fire with four early threes.

Richmond initiated the game with a 10-4 surge in the first three minutes, yet the majority of the opening half belonged to the Bonnies.

Hinton ignited the offensive charge by sinking three quick threes, and he had already matched his career-high of four triples by halftime.

St. Bonaventure exhibited a strong performance, executing a 15-2 streak while keeping the Spiders scoreless for the last 4:31, leading to a 37-25 edge at the break.

Richmond completely reversed the momentum as the second half commenced.

The Spiders launched a 15-1 run during the first seven minutes of the second period, ultimately reclaiming the lead at 40-38.

However, the game of runs shifted back towards the Bonnies, as St. Bonaventure answered with an 8-0 surge, taking the lead again as the clock dipped under nine minutes.

As the game progressed, the Bonnies extended their lead by capitalizing on free-throw opportunities, making the most of their chances from the line.

Despite gaining separation, the Bonnies only required six field goals in the second half to do so. The home team excelled at the free-throw line, converting 13-of-17 attempts after the break.

Bona held a plus-7 advantage in rebounding and limited Richmond to just three offensive boards and three second-chance points throughout the contest.

Roche led the Spiders with 12 points.

Hinton’s career-high five three-pointers fueled the Bonnies’ offense, as the guard finished 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.

GAME NOTES

• St. Bonaventure avenged last year’s loss to Richmond and has triumphed in 10 of the last 13 encounters against the Spiders, maintaining a home winning streak against them that spans a decade. Bona has not been defeated by Richmond in Western New York since 2015.
• Council has reached double figures in 41 of his 51 career Division I games.
• Moore drew nine fouls, equalling a Bonnies season high, and went 9-for-12 at the free-throw line.
• Freshman Xander Wedlow achieved a career-best seven points in just seven minutes off the bench. He was recognized as the Bonnies Player of the Game and is the new champion of the team’s WWE legacy belt.
• Richmond recorded zero fast break points.
• Bona committed only six turnovers, matching their season-low previously set in a victory last month against VCU.

QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH MARK SCHMIDT

“We regained our identity tonight. It’s all about defense, rebounding, and safeguarding the basketball. Offense can be unpredictable, but we came out tonight with greater effort and clearer intent.”

“Basketball is a game of streaks, and you must respond. We had a strong run at the end of the first half, and then they came out really strong at the start of the second half. If you have quality players, that can occur.”

UP NEXT

St. Bonaventure travels again, heading to the Steel City at Duquesne on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.

——

To stay updated on the latest information regarding St. Bonaventure athletics, connect with us on social media. Follow the Bonnies on X @GoBonnies for men’s basketball updates @BonniesMBB. Keep up with the Bonnies on Facebook /GoBonnies and follow us on Instagram @GoBonnies. Bonnies Men’s Basketball is also on Instagram @bonnies_mbb.