March 6, 2009

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The St. Bonaventure women's basketball team used a very balanced and efficient offensive performance to pick up a 72-65 win over Saint Joseph's on Friday evening in the Opening Round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament at the Halton Arena.

The win is the Bonnies (21-9) first in postseason play since the 2007 A-10 Tournament as they now move on to face second-seeded Temple in the quarterfinals tomorrow evening at 5:30 p.m. The Brown and White advance to the A-10 Tournament quarterfinals for just the sixth time in their 27 trips to the postseason tournament.

"I am just so proud of our kids," said head coach Jim Crowley. "The difference tonight was we were able to make shots down the stretch and play well enough defensively to pull it out. It doesn't matter what the score is because this time of year it only matters if you get to play another day, and we put ourselves in position to do that after tonight's win."

Offensively, the Bonnies received very balanced scoring with four players tallying 10 or more points. Junior Dana Mitchell led the way for St. Bonaventure, pouring in a game-high 17 points on 4-of-10 from the field and 9-of-9 from the free throw line. Freshman Jessica Jenkins was next in line, scoring 14 points on the strength of her 4-for-5 performance from downtown on the evening.

For the game, the Bonnies shot a solid 47 percent (22-47) from the field, 62 percent (8-13) from three-point land and a scorching 87 percent (20-23) from the charity stripe. Saint Joseph's on the other hand, shot 42 percent (19-45) from the field and 73 percent (22-30) from the free throw line.

Both teams would struggle early on, with the Bonnies making only two of their first seven attempts from the field and Saint Joseph's converting just two field goals to go along with four turnovers. Freshman Megan Van Tatenhove would hit a lay in to break up the slow start and put the Brown and White up 6-4, with 15:23 remaining in the first.

St. Bonaventure would stay out in front after a three-pointer by senior Erica Schiefen made the score 11-9 with 12:46 left. Senior Jenna Loschiavo would keep the Hawks close, however, after converting an old-fashion three-point play to make the score 15-14 Bonnies with 8:20 remaining.

After a slow start, Mitchell would take over the game for the Brown and White over the next four minutes of play. Mitchell scored the Bonnies next seven straight points making the score 19-14 St. Bonaventure with 6:41 to go in the first half.

Saint Joseph's would not let the Brown and White gain any separation, however, after a old-fashion three-point play by junior Mariame Djouara cut the Bonnies lead down to just two, at 24-22, with 2:50 left in the first. The teams would trade scores over the last few minutes of the first stanza to put St. Bonaventure up 30-28 going into halftime.

The Brown and White would start the second half on a good note after a three-pointer by senior Katelyn Murray, with just one second left on the shot clock, would put the Bonnies up 35-31 with 18:17 left in the game.

The Hawks would come right back to score the next four points of the contest. A lay in by junior Ashley Logue would tie the game up at 35-35 with 13:50 remaining in the second half.

Once the game became tied, St. Bonaventure would begin to assert itself on the offensive end using the three-point field goal. Murray and Schiefen would hit back-to-back trifectas to make the score 41-37 Bonnies with 11:50 to go in the game. Jenkins would continue the Bonnies long range assault with back-to-back three-pointers of her own to extend the Brown and White's lead up to 50-42 with 9:19 left to play in the second.

A lay in by Logue would keep Saint Joseph's within reach at 54-47 with 6:42 left, but St. Bonaventure would seal the game with a 7-2 run over the next three minutes. An old-fashion three-point play by senior Ashley Edwards would give the Bonnies their biggest lead of the game, at 61-49, with just 3:02 remaining.

That is where the Brown and White's lead would stay for the remainder of the game, as Saint Joseph's could come no closer than six points the rest of the way.

Van Tatenhove and Murray also had solid games for St. Bonaventure tallying 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Leading the Hawks on the offensive end was Loschiavo, who poured in 13 points on 4-of-11 from the field. The only other Saint Joseph's players in double figures for the game were Djouara senior Brittany Ford who chipped in 12 and 11 points each.

St. Bonaventure will take on the Owls in the quarterfinals, as previously mentioned, on Saturday at 5:30 P.M. The Bonnies defeated Temple in the only meeting between the two schools earlier this season 55-52 at the Reilly Center on January 24.