Box Score Location: Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center
Box Score (PDF) | Statistics With Play-by-Play
St. Bonaventure Starters: #10 G Jaylen Adams, #3 G Marcus Posley, #1 G Idris Taqqee, #21 F Dion Wright, #20 F Derrick Woods
The Short Story
St. Bonaventure made all the plays down the stretch to grit out a 69-64 win over Rhode Island on Wednesday at the Reilly Center, keeping the Bonnies unbeaten in the A-10 at 4-0.
The Rams (10-7/2-2) led 64-60 after a three-point play by Jarvis Garrett with 3:39 left, but the Bonnies scored the final nine points of the game. Denzel Gregg's three-pointer gave St. Bonaventure the lead for good with 1:37 remaining. As Rhode Island missed its final four shots from the field, Gregg made two free throws with 1:05 left to make it 67-64. After a missed three-pointer by Marcus Posley, Idris Taqqee grabbed the offensive rebound and Jaylen Adams was fouled. Adams sealed the game with two free throws with 17 seconds left.
Gregg set a career high with his 22 points. He was 5-6 from the field, including 2-2 from behind the arc, and 10-11 at the free throw line. The Bonnies made 26 of 31 free throws (84 percent), outscoring the Rams 26-10 at the line.
Posley finished with 17 points while Dion Wright recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Adams finished with 10 points and three assists.
St. Bonaventure's 4-0 mark is its best start to A-10 play since the 1999-00 team also opened 4-0. The Bonnies and VCU (4-0) are the only two teams still unbeaten in the A-10. Winners of five straight and nine of their last 10, the Bonnies are 12-3 overall.
How It Happened:
- The Bonnies started quickly, jumping out to a 9-0 lead as Derrick Woods scored the game's first two baskets, Dion Wright nailed a three-pointer and Jaylen Adams made a jumper.
- The lead grew to 14-4 by the 12:40 mark on a three-pointer by Adams.
- The Bonnies led 19-9 when the Rams clawed back with a 9-2 run that made it a 21-18 game.
- Rhode Island eventually tied the score at 25 on a free throw by Garrett, but Denzel Gregg converted a three-point play with 15 seconds left in the half that gave the Bonnies a 28-25 lead at the break.
- Asserting themselves on the glass and in the paint, the Rams opened a 43-38 lead five minutes into the second half.
- Marcus Posley tied the game at 43, but Rhode Island then went on to lead all the way until the 4:51 mark when Posley again tied the score at 59-59 on a free throw.
- Garrett's three-point play put the visitors up 64-60 with 3:39 left.
- The Bonnies cut it to 64-62 on two more free throws by Posley at the 3:17 mark, then neither team could score again until Gregg's three-pointer with 1:37 left gave the Bonnies back the lead at 65-64. His shot from the right wing came just before the shot clock expired; coach Mark Schmidt called it "the shot of the night," and said Gregg "played the best game of his career."
- After Garrett's short jumper was blocked by Wright, Garrett actually got the ball back but then lost it to Gregg, who he fouled. Gregg converted two free throws at the 1:05 mark to make it a 67-64 game.
- Following a timeout, Gregg again came up clutch, blocking another Garrett shot.
- After a missed three-pointer by Marcus Posley, Idris Taqqee grabbed the offensive rebound and Jaylen Adams was fouled. Adams sealed the game with two free throws with 17 seconds left.
- Rhode Island was called for 24 fouls in the game (13 in the second half), leading to a 31-15 advantage in free throw attempts for the Bonnies. The nation's fourth-best free throw shooting team cashed in, making 84 percent (26).
Beyond the Box Score:
- St. Bonaventure is now 8-1 at home.
- Gregg's previous career high was 15 points, set in the season opener this year against Binghamton.
- Gregg has scored in double figures in all four A-10 games this season.
Up Next: St. Bonaventure will make the short trip south to play at Duquesne this Saturday, Jan. 16. Game time is 6:00 at the Palumbo Center.
