Feb. 3, 2008

Final Stats

DAYTON, Ohio - A 22-7 first half closing run was enough for the Flyers to clinch a 64-51 victory over the St. Bonaventure women's basketball team early Sunday evening at the University of Dayton Arena.

The loss snapped the Brown and White's three-game win streak to drop the club's record to 15-7 (3-4), while forcing the Bonnies' attempt to match the school's all-time single-season Division I win mark to wait until Wednesday's home contest against Richmond.

With the win, Dayton evened the all-time series between the conference rivals at 7-7 each and improved its record to 18-5 (4-3) on the season.

Junior Katelyn Murray led all Bona scorers with 17 points, including her sixth game with more than a trio of three-pointers with four vs. the Flyers. Sophomore Dana Mitchell extended her double figure scoring streak to 22 games with 13 tallies after registering just two points in the opening 20 minutes and being saddled with foul trouble throughout the night. For the second straight contest, junior Ashley Edwards made her presence felt on the court with nine points and a game-high nine rebounds in 19 minutes of action.

The Flyers controlled the lane throughout the game, outrebounding the Bonnies 39-32 with 12 caroms on the offensive glass. Dayton also tallied 36 of its 64 points in the paint.

Despite holding the Atlantic 10's second highest scoring offensive attack to just 64 points, the Bona offense failed to surpass 60 points for the fourth time in the last five games. The Bonnies connected on just 34.7 percent (17-for-49) from the field for their 11th game below 40 percent this season.

Three Flyers scored in double digits led by a game-high 19 points from senior Nikki Oakland. Sophomore Kendel Ross recorded 14 points off the bench while senior Karah Cloxton drained three triples en route to 11 points. The Flyer bench owned a 23-11 edge over the Bonnies' reserves.

After an even opening six minutes of the second stanza, Dayton recorded a 10-2 run to stretch its advantage to a game-high 21 points at 55-34 with 9:06 remaining. Ross accounted for six of the Flyers' 10 points off a pair of lay ups and a short jumper.

The Bonnies refused to quit and responded with a 14-5 spurt to trim the Flyers' lead to 12 points on three different occasions during the six-plus minute span. Half of the Brown and White points were scored at the free throw line, while Murray connected on her fourth three-pointer of the game during the stretch. Bona never could slice the lead under 12 points throughout the second session as the Flyers retaliated each time with a basket on the next possession.

Despite a hot-shooting effort early in the contest and five first half triples, the Bona offense turned cold over the final 12 minutes as the Flyers stormed out on a 22-7 run to close the half and enter the locker room with a 38-23 lead at the break.

Dayton shot a blistering 53.6 percent from the floor with a 71.4 percent clip from three-point land during the first session. The Flyers combined their efforts from the outside with a dominating 16-4 advantage in the paint to spark the double digit lead.

The Bonnies began the contest by notching eight of the first 11 points thanks to a pair of trifectas from Murray and junior Erica Schiefen. Mitchell followed with her only points of the half on a tough lay up in traffic to extend the Bonnies lead to five points at the 16:38 mark. Oakland responded for the Flyers with five straight points capped by a wide open three from the top of the arc to knot the game at eight.

The three-point barrage continued over the next 1:40 span as the two clubs each drained two three-pointers on the next four trips down the floor all from Murray and Cloxton to even the count at 14-14 with 14:01 showing on the clock.

Following a long two-point basket from Schiefen at the 12:30 mark, the Flyers tallied the next 12 points and 22 of the half's final 29 to enter the locker room with its largest lead in the opening 20 minutes at 38-23. Bona managed just three field goals in the final 12-plus minutes as the Flyers attack continued its offensive outburst.

Ross accounted for Dayton's first six points, including a pretty up and under scoop shot in between a pair of easy buckets in the paint. Cloxton connected on her first two-point field on the next possession before sophomore Aundrea Lindsey scored on two-straight lay-ins to extend the Flyer lead to 28-16.

Senior Maripier Malo tallied the Brown and White's first field goal in over eight minutes with 4:22 remaining, while freshman Kristin Daugherty connected on a true triple as well as a traditional three-point play to keep Dayton in front comfortably. The Bonnies added five additional points down the stretch thanks to a long jumper from Murray and a triple from sophomore Andrea Doneth.

The Brown and White return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 6 when Richmond travels to Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.