Feb. 18, 2009

Box Score

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - After scoring the last five points in regulation to force an extra period of play, the St. Bonaventure women's basketball team fell in overtime to Duquesne 70-68 on Wednesday evening at the Reilly Center.

The loss ends the Bonnies four-game Atlantic 10 winning streak and drops the team to 19-7 overall and 8-3 in A-10 play. Duquesne on the other hand kept up its solid play as of late, winning its third A-10 game in a row to improve to 16-10 overall and 6-5 in conference.

Down by five with just 1:11 left in regulation, the Brown and White seemed to be in a tough spot. Senior Priscilla Edwards would start the rally as she drained a three-pointer to make the score 60-58 Duquesne with just 47 seconds left in the second half. After a defensive stop by St. Bonaventure on Duquesne's next possession, junior Dana Mitchell would drive baseline and convert a lay in with just 10 seconds left to tie the game up at 60-60 and send the contest into overtime.

The Dukes would not be fazed by the Bonnies late rally in regulation, rattling off the first seven points of the overtime session. A fast break lay in by Keri Pryor would make the score 67-60 Duquesne with 3:12 left in extra time.

The visitors would keep their lead at seven, after Jaclyn Babe hit a pair of free throws with just 57 seconds left in the game to make the score 69-62.

St. Bonaventure would make one more attempt at a last minute comeback after a three-pointer by senior Erica Schiefen brought the Bonnies with four, at 69-65.

After Kristi Little converted one-of-two free throws Priscilla Edwards converted an old-fashion three-point play, after being fouled by Little on a lay in, to cut Duquesne's lead down to just two at 70-68 with 42 seconds left in overtime.

The Dukes turned the ball over on their next possession with just 12 seconds left in the extra session setting up one last chance for the Bonnies to force double overtime. Priscilla Edwards brought the ball down the court looking for Mitchell on the block but she couldn't get the ball into her. Edwards had to instead force up a contested jumper with just two seconds left that was no good, but the Brown and White would collect the rebound and call timeout. On the ensuing inbounds play from the baseline the pass into Mitchell was too high, forcing her to take a last second heave from mid-court that was no good as time expired.

St. Bonaventure was led by Mitchell and freshman Megan Van Tatenhove who both tallied 14 points apiece. Mitchell was 6-of-13 from the field to go along with seven rebounds while Van Tatenhove was 7-of-8 from the field and scored all of her 14 points in the second half.

Mitchell's seven rebounds now gives her 504 caroms for her career, making her just the eighth player in program history to score over 1,000 points and collect over 500 rebounds in their career at St. Bonaventure.

Duquesne was led by sophomore Samantha Pollino who poured in a game-high 22 points to go along with six rebounds before fouling out in overtime. The Dukes had three other players score in double figures with Eve Pyle tallying 14 points, while Little and Pryor chipped in 10 points each.

The Brown and White would jump out to an early 8-3 lead on the strength of back-to-back three-pointers. Seniors Katelyn Murray and Schiefen would connect on the trifectas to put the Bonnies up five with 15:41 left in the first half Freshman Jessica Jenkins would get into the act for the Bonnies as well, draining two three-pointers to put St. Bonaventure up 16-13 with 9:31 left in the first.

The Dukes would come back to retake the lead, however, on the strength of an 11-1 run. A floater by Little and a three-pointer from Pollino would give Duquesne a 21-16 lead with 6:40 remaining. The Dukes would increase their lead even further just moments later when Pyle would connect on a three-pointer of her own, making the score 24-17 with 5:21 left until intermission.

St. Bonaventure would have an answer to Duquesne's run in the form of junior Andrea Doneth. Doneth would score on consecutive possessions for the home team to bring the Bonnies within three, at 24-21, with 3:47 to go in the first half.

The Brown and White would creep even closer to Duquesne just before half thanks to Jenkins. Jenkins would convert an old-fashion three-point play and nail a trifecta just before half to make the score 28-27 Duquesne going into intermission.

Mitchell would come out of the locker room re-energized; scoring six of the Bonnies first eight points of the second half to put St. Bonaventure back in front, 35-32 with 16:43 remaining.

The Dukes would hang around after a lay in by Pollino would cut the Brown and White's lead down to five, at 43-38, with 12:13 left in regulation. Duquesne would come all the way back after a three-pointer by Kelly Britcher and a lay in by Pollino, on back-to-back possessions, to tie the game up at 47-47 with just 8:35 left in the second half.

Both teams would trade scores over the next few minutes of the game, with St. Bonaventure clinging to a one-point lead at 53-52. Duquesne would re-take the lead 57-55, after a lay in by Rachel Frederick and a three-pointer by Keri Pryor, with just 2:12 left in the game.

Jenkins also had a solid game for the Brown and White putting in 12 points on 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from the three-point line in the loss.

St. Bonaventure will be back in action later this week, when they travel to Washington, D.C. to take on George Washington on Saturday. Gametime is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and can be watched live on Bonnies All-Access on www.GoBonnies.com.