Box Score Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. | Palumbo Center
Box Score (PDF)
St. Bonaventure Starters: #10 G Jaylen Adams, #2 G Matt Mobley, #1 G Idris Taqqee, #12 F Denzel Gregg, #0 F David Andoh
The Short Story
Matt Mobley scored 22 points and St. Bonaventure got major contributions from its bench as the Bonnies earned a 71-64 win at Duquesne on Wednesday night.
St. Bonaventure trailed by one at halftime, 34-33, but grabbed control by scoring the first 10 points of the second half. The Bonnies also picked up their defense in the second half, limiting the Dukes to just nine field goals on 32 shots -- 28 percent.
The Bonnies won despite making only one of 13 three-point attempts and committing 16 turnovers. To offset those numbers, St. Bonaventure forced 20 Duquesne turnovers, outscored the Dukes 38-16 in the paint and went 15-18 at the free throw line in the second half. The Bonnies' bench players scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as foul troubles plagued the visitors.
Jaylen Adams endured a 4-17 shooting night but still scored 16 points and came up with a career high six steals. Idris Taqqee scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and freshman center Amadi Ikpeze tied his season best with eight points off the bench.
The win kept St. Bonaventure in a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Bonnies are now 5-2 on the road this season.
How It Happened:
- The Bonnies started slowly and fell behind 10-6, but Idris Taqqee sparked a 12-4 run that put St. Bonaventure ahead 18-14. LaDarien Griffin capped the surge with a dunk.
- Duquesne came back to take a 22-20 lead when Jaylen Adams got on the board for the first time, scoring seven straight points that gave the Bonnies a 27-20 edge.
- The home team answered with seven points in a row to tie the game, and then used a late three-pointer to hold a 34-33 lead at halftime.
- Mobley sparked the Bonnies at the start of the second half, scoring eight points in a 10-0 run that made it 43-34.
- It was a seven-point Bona lead when Taqqee drove and scored and then Adams made two free throws to give the Bonnies their largest lead of the night at 47-36 with 13:18 left.
- The Dukes chipped away at the lead and eventually came within two points at 60-58 with 4:23 remaining.
- Freshman Amadi Ikpeze, who had seen action in only three A-10 games before Wednesday, scored as he put back a miss by Adams.
- After a missed three-pointer by the Dukes, Mobley made two free throws with 3:18 left to give Bona six-point edge, 64-58.
- Taqqee blocked a Duquesne shot and Mobley made a jumper at the other end to make it a 66-58 Bonnies lead with 2:30 left.
- Denzel Gregg made a pair of free throws to seal the game with 42 seconds remaining.
Beyond The Boxscore:
- St. Bonaventure won at Duquesne for just the third time in its last seven visits to Palumbo Center.
- Duquesne leads the all-time series between the teams 59-58.
Up Next: This Saturday, Feb. 4, St. Bonaventure will play at home for just the third time in the A-10 season when it hosts VCU. Tipoff will be 4:00 on NBC Sports Network.
