Opening Tip
St. Bonaventure looks to split its weeklong roadtrip with a win on Saturday at Rhode Island. Originally scheduled for 2 p.m., the game was pushed back to a 7 p.m. start due to Winter Storm Nemo. The Bonnies have won three straight against the Rams, and four of the last five, including both of last season's meetings. Midway through the Atlantic 10 Conference season, Bonaventure is 3-5, but has already played five of the top six teams in the preseason poll, including all of the top four. Bona enters action Saturday tied with Dayton for the 12th, and final, A-10 Tournament berth.
Last Time Out
No. 14/14 Butler closed the first half on a 10-3 run to turn a two-point game into a nine-point halftime lead, and despite 18 points from senior Demitrius Conger, St. Bonaventure trailed by double digits the rest of the way as the Bulldogs claimed the first-ever meeting between the two schools Wednesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse, 77-58. Conger was the only Bona player to reach double figures in scoring, shooting 5-6 from the field, 7-8 from the foul line and converting his only 3-point attempt of the game. After shooting 47.6 percent (10-21) from the floor in the first half, the Bonnies connected at just a 30.8-percent clip (8-26) in the second half – the 30.8 percent representing the worst second-half shooting performance in a game this season for the Brown and White.
The Only One
Senior Demitrius Conger is the only player in the Atlantic 10 to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists. Conger – who finished second on the Bonnies in scoring and rebounding last year, and third in assists – is averaging 14.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Additionally, the Brooklyn native also paces SBU in minutes (730), field goals made and attempted (97-207) and free throws made and attempted (84-101).
Conger is the only player on the Bona roster who has scored in double figures in all eight of the Bonnies A-10 games so far. Additionally, his 18-point effort at Butler Wednesday represented only the second time this year that SBU has placed just one scorer in double figures in a game. The other came on Dec. 31 against Iona, and that player was also Conger as he netted a season-high 26.
Not 100% Healthy
Michael Davenport, Youssou Ndoye and Matthew Wright are all battling injuries or illnesses this week. Davenport (2.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg) began the week with a head injury in practice Monday, but was cleared to play Wednesday at Butler. Ndoye (6.5, 5.0) started at Butler, but was hampered by flu-like symptoms as he logged just 17 minutes of action. Wright (8.7, 1.8 – more info below) missed his second straight game against the Bulldogs with a torn plantar fascia in his left foot. Davenport is definite, while Ndoye and Wright are both probable.
Free Throw Streak
Senior Chris Johnson has hit 23 straight free throws, and 32 of his last 33. Johnson is leading the A-10 in free-throw percentage in conference games (96 percent – 24-25), and it is the longest streak put together by a Bona player since Tyler Relph ended his senior year in 2007-08 by hitting his last 45 attempts.
Key Stats
^ Rhode Island enters Saturday's matchup with the A-10's worst field-goal percentage (40.1), while Bonaventure has the league's worst field-goal percentage defense (45.4).
^ St. Bonaventure was out-rebounded by nine, 34-29, at Butler Wednesday. Rhode Island has the second-worst rebound margin in the A-10 at -5.5.
Poor Perimeter D
For the sixth time already this year, St. Bonaventure allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent or better from the floor as Butler shot exactly 50 percent (26-52) Wednesday night. For reference, the Bonnies only allowed four opponents last year to shoot 50 percent from the floor. When holding opponents to under 40 percent from the floor this season, Bonaventure is 4-0. When opponents shoot 50 percent or better, Bonaventure is 0-6.
Quick Hitters
# By trailing 39-30 at the half at Butler Wednesday, St. Bonaventure is now 1-10 when trailing at the half.
# Bonaventure's 18 made field goals (18-47) at Butler represent the second fewest makes of the year (17 – Saint Louis).
# SBU's 58 points against the Bulldogs are tied for the second-fewest of the year (57 – Saint Louis; 58 – Siena).
# Marquise Simmons' team-high four rebounds Wednesday is the lowest total to represent a team high in any of Bona's games this year.
Lack Of 3-Point Attempts
St. Bonaventure attempted just nine 3-pointers in its loss Wednesday at Butler, making four of them. The nine 3's are a season low attempted by the Bonnies, and just the second time since the start of the 2011-12 season that SBU has attempted single-digit 3-pointers in a game. The other came in last year's A-10 Championship Quarterfinal matchup with Saint Joseph's when it went 1-8 from long range.
Next Up
St. Bonaventure returns to the Reilly Center to face La Salle on Wednesday. The Explorers are the only team in the league to have defeated both VCU and Butler. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. from Bob Lanier Court.
