Dec. 15, 2007

Final Stats

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Junior Katelyn Murray's career-high 22 points paced four Bonnies in double figures as the St. Bonaventure women's basketball team notched a 72-65 win at Canisius on Saturday afternoon.

With today's win, the Brown and White matched the program's best start in school history following ten games with an 8-2 mark. The 1992-93 edition of the Bonnies established the mark 15 years ago with eight wins in their initial ten contests. The Golden Griffins dropped their second straight contest to fall below .500 at 4-5.

Murray tallied all but four of her game-high 22 points in the second stanza, including a pair of three-pointers and six freebies at the charity stripe. Sophomore Dana Mitchell registered her tenth consecutive contest in double digits with 16 points, while junior Ashley Edwards posted 12 points and nine rebounds in just her second game back from injury. Junior point guard Tiara Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

"We knew it wouldn't be an easy game this afternoon, but I am really pleased by our great team effort," said head coach Jim Crowley. "It's what we are all about and what the kids believe in. We didn't shoot the ball very well, but we were able to make plays when we needed to."

Entering the second half with just a three-point lead, the Bonnies used an 18-6 run over a 7:46 span at the beginning of the final 20 minutes to take control of the contest.

After Canisius gained its first lead since their 2-0 advantage to begin the game at 38-37 off sophomore Ellie Radke's jumper, the Brown and White ripped off 18 of the game's next 24 points sparked by the determined play of Murray.

Murray slashed her way to the basket and converted an acrobatic lay in with the foul to regain a 40-38 lead for the visiting Bonnies. On the next possession, the Harrisburg, Pa. native drained her first triple of the afternoon from the top of the arc to extend the Brown and White advantage to 43-38.

The crafty junior would connect on her second trifecta of the game during the game-clinching spurt with 10:11 remaining in the game to push the Bonaventure lead to 49-42. Johnson followed her classmate with a driving lay up before senior Maripier Malo put the Brown and White up by 11 points at 53-42 with 8:32 showing on the clock.

St. Bonaventure and Canisius traded baskets down the stretch as the Golden Griffins failed to come within five points until Radke hit a turnaround jumper in the paint to bring the score to 65-60 with 1:19 remaining.

The Bonnies connected on 7-of-10 free throws in the final 68 seconds to seal the victory.

Eleven first half points from Mitchell sent the Brown and White to the break with a 32-29 edge over the Golden Griffins. In an opening 20 minutes with a combined 22 total fouls between the two clubs, St. Bonaventure connected on 10-of-14 freebies from the charity stripe to remain in front.

Following a game opening turnaround jumper in the paint from junior JJ Williams, the Bonnies notched 15 of the contest's next 19 points to take a 15-6 advantage with 12:36 remaining in the half. Mitchell accounted for eight points during the 10-0 Bona spurt to begin the game.

The Fairless Hills, Pa. native scored in a variety of ways, including a pair of short jumpers, two free throws and a driving lay in. Murray and fellow classmate Erica Schiefen capped the opening run with a long deuce and a triple from similar spots on the floor to extend their team's lead to 15-6.

In the next 3:21 span, the Bonnies recorded just a single point on a free throw from freshman Cara Gustafson. The Golden Griffins jumped out to a 10-1 run to knot the score at 16-16 following a pair of free throws from freshman Micayla Drysdale at the 8:57 mark of the first half.

Thanks to seven combined tallies at the stripe from Edwards and Mitchell, the Bonnies notched nine of the next 13 points to regain a five-point lead at 25-20 with just over five minutes showing on the end zone scoreboards.

A combined 53 fouls were called during today's contest leading to 26 Bona points from the free throw line. Three Golden Griffins reached double figures led by 18 points from Radke. Williams netted 17 tallies, while Drysdale rounded out the Canisius double figure scorers with 12 points.

St. Bonaventure will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 20 for its sixth straight game on the road at Fairleigh Dickinson for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.