The Matchup
Arkansas-Little Rock hosts the Bonnies in St. Bonaventure's final non-conference game of the season and the back end of an in-season home-and-home series. SBU defeated UALR 77-64 Nov. 14 in its home opener at the Reilly Center.
SBU Last Time Out
After St. Bonaventure used a 13-3 run to all but erase a 15-point deficit, Marshall (10-3) responded with 13 of the game's next 18 points in a decisive span to defeat the Bonnies, 74-65, Sunday afternoon at the Reilly Center.
Next Game
The Bonnies open up Atlantic 10 Conference play by hosting Charlotte on Saturday. The Bonnies were forecast to finish 13th among the league's 14 teams but will be looking to carry momentum forward into the heart of the season against Alan Major's 49ers.
Scouting the Trojans
UALR has dropped back-to-back games and five of its last seven after a 6-3 start to the year. After the loss to SBU evened their record at 1-1, the Trojans defeated St. Gregory's and Illinois State before an 86-60 drubbing at Oral Roberts. UALR went on to win three of its next four (W La. Tech; L @Mo. St.; W Tulsa; W Philander Smith) only to drop its next three (Ole Miss, @Rice, Akron). The Trojans then rebounded to defeat Oral Roberts and Stetson in Las Vegas, Nev. Before the current two-game skid. The UALR men's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt's West Division by the league's coaches, while senior guard Solomon Bozeman was voted preseason Third Team All-Conference.
Head Coach: Steve Shields
Steve Shields begins his eighth season as head coach of the Trojans in 2010-11, having led UALR to four Sun Belt Conference division championships in his first seven years. The 2004 Sun Belt Coach of the Year, Shields guided the Trojans to back-to-back 20-wins seasons and a school-record 15 conference wins in 2008-09. The 2008-09 Trojans went 23-8 under his guidance to give UALR its first back-to-back 20-win seasons since the 1988-89 and 1989-90 campaigns. Shields heads into his eighth season as head coach with an overall record of 113-95 (.543 winning percentage). He guided the Trojans to back-to-back East Division titles in his first two seasons as head coach (2004 and 2005), and replicated the feat by winning the West Division crown two of the past three years (2008 and 2009).
Bonnies vs. the Sun Belt Conference
St. Bonaventure is 11-5 against current members of the Sun Belt: Arkansas-Little Rock (2-1); Denver (0-1); Florida International (3-0); Middle Tennessee State (1-0); North Texas (1-0); Western Kentucky (4-3).
Series Snapshot
Having met just twice prior to the season, the Bonnies and Trojans will meet for the second time this season and fourth time in series history on Wednesday. SBU is unbeaten (2-0) when playing at home in the series but winless (0-1) on the road. Ealrier this season, the Bonnies scored the first six points of the game and never looked back – cruising to a 77-64 win over the Trojans at the Reilly Center.
You Look Familiar
Having already played SBU once, the Trojans also match up with five other teams twice this year. UALR lost to Oral Roberts 86-60 Nov. 24, but returned the favor Dec. 22, 52-49. The Trojans play Sun Belt Conference foes Denver, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe and Arkansas State twice as well.
He's Heating Up
After enduring a three-game shooting slump earlier in the year, Michael Davenport is back in a big way. Over the last five games the junior Cincinnati native is shooting 48.0 percent of his 3-pointers (12-25) and 46.0 percent from the floor to average 15.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Scoring the Rock
Andrew Nicholson ranks 10th nationally in scoring at 22.4 points per game and recorded the NCAA's highest scoring output this season with 44 points (on 14-of-19 FGs and 16-19 FTs) in the 4OT win versus Ohio. The junior has raised his scoring average every season in the Brown and White (12.5--16.4--22.4) and his current scoring clip would be the highest for a season since J.R. Bremer averaged 24.6 in 2001-02.
Franciscan Cup
As schools with shared Franciscan heritage, St. Bonaventure president sister Margaret Carney and Siena president father Kevin Mullen agreed that the schools should play for a traveling trophy when the teams meet on the hardwood. The Bonnies claimed the inaugural Cup with an 82-79 win over the Saints Dec. 28 in the first game of a four-year pairing that will bring the Bonnies to the Times Union Center next season.
Free Basketball
The Bonnies played a combined five overtimes in back-to-back games – the longest game in school history (4OT) versus Ohio, and an overtime contest against Virginia Tech at Blue Cross Arena.
Nicholson's Streak Snapped
With 21 points and eight rebounds, Nicholson had his nation-leading streak of five consecutive double-doubles snapped in a loss to Virginia Tech. He has seven double-doubles in 10 games so far this season and 13 for his career.
Simmons Sighting
After missing the first nine games of the season with a hand injury sophomore F Marquise Simmons saw his first action of the year against VT at Blue Cross Arena. He replaced Jake Houseknecht at the 7:38 mark of the first half. In three minutes of action, Simmons picked up one foul but otherwise did not figure statistically. Against Siena, Simmons made a layup and baseline jumper in the first half for his first baskets of the year.
Entertaining the Masses
The pro-Bonnies crowd of 5,285 at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y. was the largest to watch a St. Bonaventure game this season.
Tick Tick Tick
Through 12 games Adegboye is leading the nation in minutes played (40.5) and ranks second in percentage of minutes played (96.2) according to statsheet.com. The senior London native played all 40 minutes in three straight games (Buffalo, St. John's, Niagara), 59 of 60 against Ohio and all 45 minutes against VT. He has played at least 36 minutes in every game this year.
Going the Distance
St. Bonaventure played the longest game in its 91-year history Dec. 18 versus Ohio, as the Bonnies and Bearcats went to four overtimes (a full 1.5 games). The Bonnies had four players log more than 53 minutes (Adegboye, Conger, Davenport, Nicholson) and redshirt F/C Jake Houseknecht booked 36 minutes for a new career-high. Nicholson played the full 60 minutes – the second game in a row he has not been subbed for – and Adegboye played all but one.
House and Home
Redshirt sophomore F/C Jake Houseknecht saw the most action of his career in the 4OT win against Ohio. The Olean native played 36 minutes (previous career high: 11), grabbed nine boards (previous high: 4) and blocked three shots (had 5 total in his career) to give SBU a lift off the bench. After not playing in three previous games earlier in the year, Houseknecht earned more minutes and was the first Bonnies' 'Big' off the bench against the Bobcats.
Return to Sender
Nicholson's rejection at the 6:31 mark of the second period against Ohio made him just the third player in school history to block 150 or more shots in a career. He owns the single-game record (9 vs. Bucknell) for the Bonnies and currently sits third on the SBU career blocks list (153).
#100 for Schmidt
Now in his fourth season at St. Bonaventure, head coach Mark Schmidt coached his 100th game at SBU against Ohio Dec. 18, 2010. Schmidt's .430 (43-56) win percentage entering the game was the highest by a Bonnies' mentor since Jim Baron's .502 (132-131) mark compiled from 1992-01. Schmidt and Baron are the only two coaches to post a win-loss percentage over .400 since the start of the 1987 season.
Seeing Double-Double
The Ohio game marked the fourth time this season that two players have recorded a double-double in the same contest (Cornell, Cleveland State, Niagara). In a counterintuitive twist, the Bonnies are 2-2 in those games. When just one player accomplishes the feat (Ark.-Little Rock, Binghamton, Buffalo, St. John's, VT), the team is 4-1.
1,000 for #44
St. Bonaventure's Andrew Nicholson became the 38th player in school history to score 1,000 career points in the loss to Niagara. After missing his first attempt and being held scoreless over the first 11:56, the junior Mississauga native drained a foul-line jumper to move past the barrier in just his 66th game. Nicholson was a shoe size away from recording his 1,000th career point in comeback fashion in his previous outing against St. John's, as his stepback jumper was originally thought to be a 3-pointer.
Double Down
RS-Junior Da'Quan Cook – who wore #21 last season – posted his second double-double of the year last Saturday against the Purple Eagles. Cook hauled in 10 boards and scored 11 points in that game after a 21-point, 13-rebound effort helped the Bonnies cruise past Binghamton Nov. 21. So far this season, the Bonnies have 13 double doubles from four different players: Nicholson (6), Conger (3), Cook (2), Adegboye (1) and Davenport (1). Nicholson's streak of four straight double doubles is curently tied for second in the country.
Climbing the Charts
Nicholson is climbing the St. Bonaventure career records list in his third season. The Mississauga, Ont. native is the school's career leader in FG% (.578 – ahead of Bob Lanier), ranks third in blocks (151), and now sits in 35th on the all-time scoring list with 1,081 points. With seven more rebounds, he will become the 22nd player in school annals to post 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career.
Deja 'Drew
Nicholson hit game-winning jumpers from nearly the same spot on the floor in the Bonnies' wins against UB and St. John's. The Buffalo game winner came with 6.8 seconds left to lift SBU to a 76-74 win, while the jab-step, stepback shot against the Red Storm gave 67-66 edge with 5.2 left.
17 Straight For Nicholson
Andrew Nicholson has scored in double figures in 17 straight games dating back to Feb. 27, 2010 against Rhode Island. Over that span, he is averaging 21 points and 8 boards and has not scored fewer than 14 points. The junior has also scored at least 21 points in each of his last four outings including 44 against Ohio and 26 in back-to-back games (Siena, Marshall).
Home Sweet Home
The loss to Marshall was the Bonnies final non-conference home game of the season. With a 4-2 mark in the venerable Reilly Center so far in 2010-11, SBU improves to 394-182 (.686) in 44 seasons with the RC as the home floor.
Stepping Up
Entering the season, coach Mark Schmidt commented that players other than Nicholson would have to step up for the Bonnies to find success. True to form, each of the other four starters have netted career highs including: Michael Davenport (19 pts vs. Canisius, 22 pts vs. St. John's), Ogo Adegboye (17 vs. Ark.-Little Rock, 24 pts vs. Buffalo), Demitrius Conger (22 pts. 14 rebs. vs. Cornell) and Da'Quan Cook (21 pts. 13 rebs. vs. Binghamton).
And Boom Goes the Dynamite
Adegboye made seven 3-pointers – one shy of the school record – in a Dec. 4 effort to hold off Buffalo, 76-74. He tied his previous career high 17 points and set personal high-water marks for 3-point makes and attempts in the first half alone in helping SBU to an 11-point lead at the break. Adegboye ended the game with new career-highs of 24 points and 10 assists for his first career double-double. The outburst also raised his then-season 3FG% from 31.6 to a blistering 46.4.
Stat Stuffer
Conger had already posted the first two double-doubles of his career and was riding a three-game double-digit scoring streak prior to the Buffalo game before adding his third in the 4OT win against Ohio (22P, 12R). The sophomore Brooklyn native finished with nine points, eight boards and six assists to go with a block and a steal on 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in 38 minutes of work against the Bulls.
Count Your FOUR-tunes
Jim Baron, the last coach to lead the Bonnies to a postseason tournament (NIT, 2001), posted 48 wins in his first four campaigns. Beginning his fourth season on the Bona sidelines, Schmidt and his staff (all of whom worked under Schmidt at Robert Morris) have collected 43 wins…and counting. By number of victories in their first four seasons, here's how it breaks down:
75 Ed Melvin (1948-52)
72 Jim Satalin (1973-77)
67 Jim O'Brien (1982-86)
58 Larry Weise (1961-65)
53 Eddie Donovan (1953-57)
48 Jim Baron (1992-96)
Mike Reilly (1928-32)
45+ Mark Schmidt (2007-Pres.)
24 Anthony Solomon (2003-07)
Riding the Pine
The Bonnies are on the short side of the bench scoring matchup by a wide margin despite their favorable record. Through 11 games SBU has yet to post a deficit of better than three points in bench scoring.
Canisius 23-6
Ark. Little Rock 19-9
Cornell 10-0
Binghamton 22-5
Cleveland State 12-9
Buffalo 11-2
St. John's 31-0
Niagara 17-2
Ohio 24-6
Va. Tech 10-0
Siena 15-4
Marshall 26-2
Nostradamus on Nicholson
Should he record two more seasons similar to those already in the books, Nicholson will notch: 1,849 points (would rank sixth at SBU), 819 rebounds (fifth) and 272 blocks (second). It is also likely that he will become the 22nd player in school history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds (needs one point and 52 rebounds).
NLI Signees
SBU added a pair of guards in the early signing period. Schenectady native Derrick Millinghaus, who currently attends Queen City Prep in Marshville, N.C., is a 1-2 combo guard with an open-court style. Millinghaus will have four years of eligibility, while fellow signee Eric Mosely will have two years remaining. Mosely currently attends Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and spent his freshman season at Austin Peay in 2008-09.
APR Improvement
Mark Schmidt ranks 13th in the nation in NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) improvement, as calculated by Fox Sports. Schmidt is among the top coaches nationally in cumulative improvement of his team APR, a metric used by NCAA officials to track the academic achievement of Division I teams during each academic term. Each student-athlete earns one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible. A team's total points are divided by points possible and multiplied by 1,000 to equal the team's APR score.
Ahead of Schedule?
Now in his fourth season at the helm of the Bonnies, head coach Mark Schmidt is ahead of schedule with respect to his previous head coaching stint at Robert Morris. During his third and fourth season at RMU, Schmidt posted back-to-back seasons with the same number of wins (14) before guiding the team to a record over .500 (15-14). At St. Bonaventure, Schmidt has guided the team to 15 wins in each of the last two campaigns in his second and third seasons with the program. St. Bonaventure has not finished a season over .500 since 2001-02 (17-13).
Chasing .500
After recording a 15-15 mark in 2008-09, SBU fell one game short of .500 last season by booking a 15-16 record. St. Bonaventure enjoyed a streak of 28 consecutive seasons of .500-or-better basketball from 1956-57 to 1983-84, but has just eight such seasons in the last 25. SBU has 63 seasons at or above .500 in 89 years.
A Look Back: 2009-10
The St. Bonaventure University men's basketball team ended the 2009-10 season with a 15-16 overall mark that included a 7-9 record in Atlantic 10 conference play. Third-year head coach Mark Schmidt guided the Bonnies to a No. 8 seed in the A-10 Championship. The Bonnies earned its first postseason win since 2002 by eliminating No. 9 Duquesne, 83-71, in an opening-round game on Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center. The Bonnies have now won 15 games in consecutive seasons after an 8-22 (2-14) showing in Schmidt's first season.
