GAME NOTES | STATISTICS | LIVE AUDIO & VIDEO | LIVE STATS

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
ST. BONAVENTURE (7-8, 0-2) vs. SAINT JOSEPH'S (5-10, 1-2)
DATE: Saturday, January 16, 2010
SITE: Reilly Center (5,780)
COURT: Bob Lanier Court
TIP-OFF: 7:00 p.m. EST
RADIO: WPIG (95.7 FM) & WHDL (1450 AM) - Olean
TALENT: Gary Nease (Play-by-Play)
Dr. John Watson (Analyst)
WEB AUDIO & VIDEO: www.GOBONNIES.com
SERIES: Saint Joseph's leads, 43-14
LAST MEETING: March 1, 2009
St. Joseph's 73, St. Bona 62 (Box Score - Pg. 2)
UP NEXT: at Massachusetts
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 @ 7 p.m.

AT A GLANCE
St. Bonaventure will take its third crack at getting into the win column in Atlantic 10 play on Saturday when it welcomes Saint Joseph's to the Reilly Center. The Bonnies will look to rid themselves of a season-long three-game losing streak, while the Hawks have dropped 10 of their last 12. The two teams will meet again on Feb. 6 in Philadelphia at Saint Joseph's new home - Michael Hagan Arena.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Saint Joseph's has simply dominated the series as of late, taking the last 15 meetings by an average of 17 points per game. The Bonnies have dropped their last seven against the Hawks at the Reilly Center where they are 5-20 all-time. St. Bonaventure's last win at home over the Hawks came on Jan. 12, 2000 in the form of a 76-71 victory - the Bonnies swept the season series that year. SJU is 4-2 in six overtime meetings between the two clubs and owns a 23-11 edge in the 34 games decided by 10 points or less. St. Bonaventure and Saint Joseph's have met twice a year in 24 out of the 27 years they've been together as members of the Eastern 8 and A-10. One of the two schools has swept the season series eight straight times, including the last six by the Hawks.

THIS DAY IN BONA BASKETBALL
St. Bonaventure is 6-7 all-time when playing on January 16, dating back to the 1975-76 season in the Bona record books - the final season that has actual dates recorded. The most memorable win on this date came in 2002 when the Bonnies set a school record and tied the A-10 mark with 19 three-pointers in a 93-74 win over Temple at the RC. Junior PATRICIO PRATO equaled a school record with eight threes to finish with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Six different players sank a three-pointer, as the team finished 19-of-39.

SCOUTING THE HAWKS
Led by legendary head coach Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's stands at 5-10 on the season, including 1-2 in A-10 play. Both of the Hawks' losses in league play have come on the road, where like the Bonnies, they are 0-6 this season. Saint Joseph's biggest downfalls have been on the defensive end where they are allowing a league-worst 78.7 points per game and getting out-rebounded by a -9.7 per game clip. The Hawks have allowed seven teams to score 80 or more points, going 1-6 over that span. Saint Joseph's gave up 100 points for just the fourth time under Martelli on Wednesday night in a 101-74 loss at Rhode Island. The senior backcourt of Darrin Govens and Garrett Williams lead the Hawks in scoring at 12.9 and 11.4 points per game, respectively. A three-point specialist, Govens ranks sixth in the A-10 at 2.2 trifectas per game. Williamson, an A-10 All-Defensive team selection in 2009, leads the team in steals (24) and blocks (16), while producing the best offensive numbers of his career. Freshman Carl Jones has provided a nice spark off the bench and ranks third on the team in scoring at 10.8 per game. Jones, the A-10 Rookie of the Week on Nov. 22, has reached double figures seven times.

HONORING A LEGACY
At halftime of Saturday's game against Saint Joseph's, St. Bonaventure will honor the 40th Anniversary of the 1970 Final Four team who posted a 25-3 record. One of the program's 14 wins over the Hawks came during the 1969-70 season, when the Brown and White defeated SJU, 96-61, in the Holiday Festival Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Bob Lanier led the way with 25 points and 13 rebounds, while all four other starters (Paul Hoffman - 19, Matt Gantt -14, Billy Kalbaugh - 13, Greg Gary - 11) also reached double figures. St. Bonaventure went on to win the tournament the following night, defeating Purdue, 91-75, behind an incredible 50 points from Lanier. Lanier was named MVP of the tournament, averaging 36 points and 14 rebounds per game while connecting on an amazing 44-of-55 (80%) from the field over the three-game tournament.

DO IT ALL HALL
After becoming just the second player in program history to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists in the same year, senior JONATHAN HALL is quietly putting together another solid season. Hall ranks second on the club in nearly every statistical category; points (12.1), rebounds (4.9), assists (3.5), blocks (10) and field goal percentage (.556). The Miami, Fla. native has scored in double figures a team-best 13 times, grabbed five or more rebounds seven times and passed out at least five assists on four occasions. Both of Hall's double-doubles this season have come on the road. Hall ranks third in the A-10 in field goal percentage and ninth in assist/turnover ratio (+1.5).

BOMBS AWAY
Senior CHRIS MATTHEWS has continued to display the shooting stroke that helped him sink 81 three-pointers a year ago. Matthews equaled the school record of eight three-pointers against Illinois State, while also tying his own career-best of 28 points. The Washington, D.C. product's 3.3 three-pointers per game currently lead the A-10 and rank 10th in the country. He is one of just 17 players with at least 50 three-pointers this season. Matthews has made three or more treys in a game nine times already this season helping him rank second on the team in scoring at 12.1 per game. In just 45 games as a Bonnie, Matthews has moved into ninth place on the all-time three-pointers list with 131.

THE CN TOWER
Sophomore ANDREW NICHOLSON is the center of attention for opposing teams. That hasn't stopped the reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year from avoiding a sophomore slump, as the Canadian big man leads the team in both scoring (15.3) and rebounding (7.6). Nicholson leads the A-10 with a 62.1 percent (95-153) field goal percentage and is one of four players to rank in top 15 in the conference in both scoring (12th) and rebounding (7th). Nicholson poured in a game-high 26 points on 11-of-15 from the field against St. John's and then equaled a career-high with 29 points and a career-best 14 boards against Norfolk State. He has a team-high three 20-point games this season. Nicholson has led the team in scoring eight times and rebounding eight times this season, including both in the same game on five occasions.

DUNK YOU VERY MUCH
Blessed with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and plenty of bounce, sophomore ANDREW NICHOLSON'S career 60.9 percent shoot clip is aided by his ability to dunk the basketball. Through 45 career games, Nicholson has thrown down 65 dunks out of his 249 field goals. In 2008-09, Nicholson had 37 dunks and has followed with 28 already this season. Nicholson set a career-high with seven slams at Niagara on Dec. 22. The Mississauga, Ontario product has a dunk in 28 career games, including 19 multi-dunk performances and 11 games of three or more dunks.

PAINTING THE TOWN BROWN
St. Bonaventure has been extremely efficient on offense this season. The Bonnies have shot 50 percent or better in seven of the 15 games and are shooting at an impressive 48 percent clip for the year - tops in the A-10 and 35th in the nation. The easy buckets around the rim have led to a 540-484 edge in points in the paint. The 540 points in the paint account for 51 percent of the team's offense this season and 36 points per game.

RACE TO 100
With the advantage of entering his career in the Brown and White as a junior, CHRIS MATTHEWS became the fastest player in program history to sink 100 career three-pointers. The Washington, D.C. native accomplished the feat in just his 36th game, nine games better than Tim Winn's previous record of 45. Matthews' 100th trifecta as a Bonnies came during a career night at Illinois State where he equaled the single-game record of eight three-pointers and tied a personal-best of 28 points. Below is a look at the fastest players in program history to 100 career three-pointers.

NAME (Years) - GAMES
Chris Matthews (2008-10) - 36
Tim Winn (1996-98) - 45
Zarryon Fereti (2006-08) - 47
Tyler Relph (2005-08) - 52
Mike Gansey (2001-03) - 55
Marques Green (2000-03) - 62
Nii Nelson-Richards (1991-94) - 70
J.R. Bremer (1998-01) - 71
Patrick Lottin (2001-04) - 75
Patricio Prato (1999-02) - 81