Dec. 8, 2007

Final Stats

HAMILTON, N.Y. - A stingy defensive effort and a 23-4 run to close the first half sent the St. Bonaventure women's basketball team to a 64-41 victory at Colgate on Saturday afternoon.

The Bonnies' 7-2 start matches the second best beginning in program history previously held by the 1979-80 club, while Colgate dropped its eighth contest of the season to fall to 1-8. The 1992-93 edition of the Brown and White own the best start in school history with eight victories in their first nine contests.

For the ninth straight contest, sophomore Dana Mitchell led the team in scoring with a team-high 20 points on a 10-of-13 shooting performance from the field. The preseason Atlantic 10 third team selection posted her fifth game of at least 20 points this season. Junior Katelyn Murray drained four three-pointers en route to matching a career-best 18 points to round out the double digit scorers for the Bonnies. With today's effort, Murray surpassed 500 points for her career to give the Harrisburg, Pa. native 507 points in 64 collegiate contests. Sophomore Andrea Doneth dished out a personal best seven assists to go along with eight points.

This afternoon's 23-point margin of victory was St. Bonaventure's biggest win since a 25-point triumph at Canisius last season. Colgate's 41 overall points were the fewest allowed by the Brown and White defense since allowing 35 tallies in a victory against Massachusetts on January 28, 2005. The Bonnies also forced the Raiders into 24 turnovers.

After a Bonnies' offensive outburst to close the first half, the two teams traded baskets in the opening 7:11 of the second stanza. With St. Bonaventure holding a 43-27 edge, Doneth canned a jumper from the right baseline to spark a 12-4 spurt that saw the Brown and White lead balloon to 24 points at 55-31 with 7:21 left in the contest.

Murray made her season best fourth three-pointer of the game from the left wing to push the lead to 19 points with a basket from Georgia Gier in between seven points in a row from the Bonnies. In her first action of the season, junior Ashley Edwards converted one freebie at the charity stripe prior to consecutive lay-ups from senior Maripier Malo and junior Erica Schiefen. Freshman Cara Gustafson capped the spurt with a pair of free throws to give the club a 24-point advantage.

Following a slow start to the first half, the Bonnies used a 23-4 run at the end of the half to enter the locker room with a 34-17 advantage after the opening 20 minutes of action. Mitchell notched 16 points in the opening frame, while Murray drained three first half triples for 11 points in the first session.

Colgate opened the game with the contest's first seven points and held the Bonnies' scoreless until Mitchell connected on a hanging runner with 16:53 showing on the clock. The Fairless Hills, Pa. product tallied her club's first eight points of the contest and was the only member of the Brown and White to notch a point in an 8-2 run that pulled the Bonnies within a single point at 9-8 with 8:38 remaining in the opening half.

The two sides traded baskets during the next 1:40 before St. Bonaventure outscored the `Gate by 19 points in the final 6:58 before the break.

Murray ignited the half closing spurt with a wide open three pointer from the right corner on a perfectly executed inbounds play. Doneth gave her club the lead for good with a triple on the next possession from the left corner before a single free throw from Schiefen and a lay in from Mitchell capped nine tallies in a row for the Bonnies.

Mitchell and Murray combined for the final 14 points of the half beginning with an offensive rebound put back from Mitchell to give the Bonnies a 22-17 edge 3:54 before the half. Murray tallied the team's next eight points with a pair of trifectas from the right side of the floor and an easy lay-up to extend the Brown and White lead to 30-17. Mitchell closed the half with four straight points from inside the paint to close the half.

The Brown and White will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 15 for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off at Big 4 rival Canisius.