Buffalo (3-6) @ St. Bonaventure (7-1)
Saturday, Dec. 10 | 4:30 PM | Reilly Center (5,480)
Game Notes: St. Bonaventure | Buffalo | Atlantic 10
Follow & Interact: @Go_Bonnies | #Bonnies
St. Bonaventure will look to extend its streak of 13 consecutive wins over Big Four rivals when it hosts the University at Buffalo this afternoon.
The Bonnies have not lost to a Big Four school since Nov. 14, 2006, when Niagara defeated them in the Gallagher Center, 71-64. Bona won at Canisius earlier this year, 74-58, and will play host to the Purple Eagles next Friday, Dec. 16.
Bonaventure is 9-1 all-time in the Reilly Center against UB, and the Bulls have not won at the RC since a 69-53 triumph on Jan. 27, 1976 – a stretch of seven straight home wins for the Brown and White. Bona's has won three straight in the series, and 12 of the last 15 overall.
Through eight games, the Bonnies are tied for their second-best start in program history with the 1992-93 and 1979-80 teams which also began 7-1. The 2008-09 team – which commenced its campaign at 8-0 – is the only club with a faster start than the 2011-12 Bonnies.
Defense has been the major catalyst in that start for St. Bonaventure as the Bonnies are holding opponents to just 51.2 points per game, an average which ranks second in the Atlantic 10. In the first half of the last two games against Indiana and Binghamton, Bonaventure has allowed just 26 combined points – a season-low 17 to the Hoosiers Wednesday night and a program record-low nine to the Bearcats last Saturday.
The game against UB will be the eighth rematch of games played last year by the Bonnies, who are already 7-0 in such contests this year. Eleven of the squad's 15 non-conference games are against teams the Bonnies squared off with last year, and Bona went 7-4 in those outings. However, with a win over Indiana Wednesday, the Bonnies have now avenged all four of those losses as earlier this year they defeated St. John's, West Virginia and Morgan State.
The win over the Indiana was head coach Jim Crowley's 200th career win, and gave the Bonnies their third victory over a BCS school (St. John's, West Virginia) already this year. That is the first time in program history a team has beat three BCS schools in the regular season. The 2008-09 team also defeated three BCS schools, but only one came during the regular season.
Scouting Buffalo
~ UB enters with a 3-6 record following a 62-57 home victory over Canisius Wednesday evening
~ The Bulls are currently 2-0 this year in Big Four games as they also defeated Niagara in each team's season opener
~ Buffalo has already played two other Atlantic 10 members – losing 90-46 at Duquesne and falling 94-74 to Dayton
~ Senior Brittany Hedderson enters the contest just four points shy of 1,000 for her career after scoring a career-high 31 against Canisius
~ Sophomore Rachel Bantelman is an Olean native
~ UB lost 65 percent of its scoring and 59 percent of its rebounding from last year's 16-16 team, and returns just one starter this season
Next Up
After a week break for Final Exams, St. Bonaventure will return to the court next Friday, Dec. 16, as it continues its four-game homestand against Niagara. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. from the Reilly Center.
