Jan. 26, 2008

Final Stats

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The St. Bonaventure women's basketball team recorded a 15-2 run midway through the second session to clinch a 60-54 victory at Tom Gola Arena on Saturday evening.

The Brown and White's second conference win in as many games and their ninth true road triumph of the season improved the club's record to 14-6 (2-3), while La Salle dropped their fourth contest in the last five games to fall to 9-11 (1-4).

Tonight's victory in Philadelphia was just Bonaventure's second all-time win at La Salle and their first since an 82-77 overtime win on January 6, 2002. The Bonnies also became the 10th team in program history with at least 14 wins and sit just two shy of the school's single-season record for wins matched by last year's 16-15 unit.

With one more victory away from Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center, the Brown and White will also establish a program mark for away wins in a season with 11.

For the 16th time this season, sophomore Dana Mitchell paced the Bonnies in scoring with 16 points for her 20th double digit scoring effort of the season.

Bona received balanced scoring throughout the roster as eight other players entered the books, including a career-high nine points from senior guard and Philadelphia native Megan Ellis. Junior Erica Schiefen also chipped in with nine points and five rebounds, while fellow classmate Tiara Johnson hauled down a game-high nine caroms.

Defense continued to be a bright spot for the Bonnies in the City of Brotherly Love by holding their third straight and seventh opponent this season under 60 points. The club owned a 35-25 edge on the glass with 10 boards on the offensive end.

The Brown and White opened the second session just as they closed the first half by scoring seven of the first 11 points to take a 10-point advantage at 36-26 with 15:50 showing on the clock.

Edwards and Johnson canned a pair of jumpers in the opening four-minute span coupled with a three-pointer from junior Katelyn Murray in between to extend the Bona lead to double digits for the first time of the night.

The Explorers swiftly responded with 10 straight points capped by consecutive three-pointers from senior Alyse Hoover and junior Margaret Elderton to even the score with 11:30 remaining in regulation.

Following La Salle's offensive outburst that positioned the Explorers back in contention, the Bonnies cruised towards a 15-2 spurt en route to their largest margin of the game at 51-38. The Brown and White drained three triples during the spurt led by Mitchell's tough trifecta from the left wing with a hand in her face. The second-year scoring sensation followed with two free throws before Murray and Schiefen connected on back-to-back triples on consecutive trips down the floor. Schiefen closed the run with a pair of makes at the stripe to give the Bonnies a 13-point advantage with 4:51 left.

La Salle countered with nine of the game's next 12 points, but never inched closer than seven points down the stretch until a three in the final seconds made it a six-point deficit at the final buzzer.

A pair of first half scoring spurts saw the Bonnies enter the break with a 29-22 advantage after the opening 20 minutes of action. Ellis and Mitchell accounted for a combined 18 points in the first session as each tallied nine points to push the Brown and White on top.

After La Salle opened the contest with a 9-8 advantage at the 14:52 mark following a turnaround in the paint from senior Carlene Hightower, the Bonnies jumped out on a 9-4 spurt to take a 17-13 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Johnson started the spurt with an easy bucket in the paint prior to a conventional three-point basket at the rim from Mitchell. The cutting Mitchell received a perfect pass in the lane from sophomore Andrea Doneth before finishing at the goal with the contact.

Ellis contributed her second field goal of the half the next time down the floor after a similar cutting finish around the rim. Freshman Cara Gustafson closed the run with a long two to give Bona a four point edge.

La Salle quickly edged by Bona as the Brown and White transition defense was slow to retreat on back-to-back possessions as the Explorers connected on consecutive triples to regain a two-point advantage at 19-17 with 7:21 remaining.

However, the Bonnies retaliated by closing the first stanza with 12 of the half's final 16 points to stretch their lead to seven at the break. Bona received great production from their bench down the stretch as Ellis and senior Maripier Malo combined for 10 of the club's final 12 tallies.

Malo followed La Salle's three-point barrage with the club's second traditional three-point play of the half before Ellis drained a runner in the lane to put Bona ahead by four. Mitchell continued the stretch with a pair of freebies at the charity stripe before she tipped an offensive rebound into the hands of a wide open Malo for an easy lay in.

Ellis capped the Brown and White scoring with her first career connection from behind the arc and the club's lone trifecta of the half.

The Brown and White will return to Bob Lanier Court on Wednesday, Jan. 30 to take on Duquesne at 7:00 p.m. in hopes of evening their conference mark at 3-3.