Social Media Recap
PDF Box Score
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State (13-2) built a double-digit advantage just more than five minutes into the game and never allowed St. Bonaventure (7-6) to lead as the Bonnies were defeated in their non-conference finale Saturday afternoon, 85-64.
Junior Matthew Wright finished one point off tying his season high with 12 points to pace a trio of Bonaventure double-figure scorers. Senior Chris Johnson came off the bench to net double figures for the first time in three games with 10, a total which was equaled by junior guard Charlon Kloof.
Colorado State – Receiving Votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coach's Poll – jumped out to a 19-2 start not even seven minutes in and didn't allow the Bonnies to get closer than 11 (19-8) the rest of the game.
Bonaventure allowed CSU to shoot 53 percent – the third straight opponent it has allowed to shoot better than 50 percent – as the Brown and White dropped its third consecutive non-conference game for just the second time in head coach Mark Schmidt's tenure, which is now in its sixth season.
The Bonnies struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 29 percent (8-27), and didn't convert their first field goal until a Wright 3-pointer with 12:27 remaining in the opening stanza. The Rams would go on to built an 18-point halftime lead – the largest intermission deficit SBU has faced this year.
Bona shot much better in the second half (14-36 for 39 percent), but didn't have an answer defensively for Colorado State as the Rams shot 48 percent in outscoring SBU in the half, 39-36.
CSU – one of six Mountain West teams with double-figure wins – entered as the nation's leader in rebound margin and put that on display against the Bonnies as it finished with a +17 edge, 45-28. Pierce Hornung (13) and Colton Iverson (12) collected 25 of those on their own.
Bonaventure committed only seven turnovers – its second-lowest total of the season – but the 35-percent shooting (22-63) for the game and poor defense hurt Bona's as it allowed 85 or more points for the third straight contest.
Sophomore Youssou Ndoye came off the bench to score nine points on an effective 4-5 shooting, and senior Eric Mosley added eight points behind two 3-pointers. For Wright, half of his 12 points came from beyond the 3-point line; the Toronto native entered the game with just four 3's on the year. He also dished out a team-high four assists in 28 minutes of action.
Wes Eikmeier scored a game-high 21 points, Dorian Green added 19 and Iverson contributed with 14 points, almost all of them in the paint, as the Rams finished the game with a 42-20 edge in points in the paint.
St. Bonaventure looks to get back on track when it returns to action Wednesday to open Atlantic 10 Conference play in the nation's capital against George Washington University. It will mark the third time in the last four years that SBU and GW commence league play against each other. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. from the Charles E. Smith Center.
GAME NOTES: Demitrius Conger, SBU's leading scorer at 14.5 per game, was limited to just six points and three assists … he is now three assists shy of 200 for his career … Marquise Simmons grabbed a team-high six rebounds …CSU turned the ball over 11 times, and Bona converted those opportunities into 18 points … the Bonaventure bench outscored Colorado State's, 30-20 … Michael Davenport made his second straight start in place of Johnson and finished with two points.
