ST. BONAVENTURE (1-2) vs. BELLARMINE (0-3)
Wednesday, Nov. 23 – 7:00 p.m.
Cleveland, Ohio – Wolstein Center
Radio: WSBU 88.3 FM "The Buzz"

ST. BONAVENTURE vs. GEORGIA STATE (2-3)
Friday, Nov. 25 – 7:00 p.m.
Cleveland, Ohio – Wolstein Center
Radio: WSBU 88.3 FM "The Buzz"

ST. BONAVENTURE vs. CLEVELAND STATE (2-1)
Saturday, Nov. 26 – 4:00 p.m.
Cleveland, Ohio – Wolstein Center
TV: ESPN+
Radio: WSBU 88.3 FM "The Buzz"

The St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team travels to Cleveland for the Thanksgiving holiday for three games at the Hampton Inn Cleveland Downtown Viking Invitational hosted by Cleveland State.

The Bonnies are slated to kick things off Wednesday, Nov. 23 against Bellarmine at 7:00 p.m. Following the off day on for Thanksgiving, the Bonnies take on Georgia State Friday, Nov. 25 also at 7 p.m. and then wrap up the invitational Saturday, Nov. 26 against hosts Cleveland State at 4:00 p.m.

OPENING TIP

• The Bonnies get back to action after a week off since scoring a win at Siena last Wednesday in Albany, 69-63, behind four Bona's players in doubles figures.
• Tianna Johnson led the way for the Brown and White, posting her first double-double and career-highs with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The junior guard added three steals, two assists and a block to her line.
• Also scoring in double figures for the Bonnies were Maddie Dziezgowski (16), I'yanna Lops (11) and Taylor Napper (10).

JOHNSON SHINES

• It was a career night in Albany for junior guard Tianna Johnson. Prior to Wednesday, Johnson's previous career-high for points in a Bona's uniform was 14 which she scored last season against Duquesne. Her previous career-best in rebounds was 10 which she set in a matchup against Siena last November.
• Johnson also tallied a career-high in made free throws, sinking 9-of-10 chances from the charity stripe. A native of Peoria, Ill., Johnson has made a team-best 13 free throws this season. She also matched her career-best with two made threes.
• Prior to this season, Johnson had only scored in double figures with the Bonnies one time, but she has reached double digits twice in the first three games this season.

DOWNTOWN DZIEZGOWSKI

• Maddie Dziezgowski made her first start of the season Wednesday at Siena, seeing 34 minutes of action. The junior finished the night with 16 tallies by way of five made 3-pointers, one shy of her career-high she set last season vs. Richmond.
• Through two games this season after missing the opener due to injury, Dziezgowski leads the Bonnies in scoring at 17.0 points per game and has made a team-best eight threes while shooting 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.

ROAD WORK

• The Bonnies are currently in a stretch of five straight games and nine out of 11 overall away from the Reilly Center.
• Bona's does not return home to play until Dec. 2 when it hosts Little Three rival Niagara.

FIRST TIME OPPONENTS

• The Bonnies are set to take on two opponents for the first time in program history at the Hampton Inn Cleveland Downtown Viking Invitational. Wednesday marks the first all-time meeting between St. Bonaventure and Bellarmine while Friday will be the first matchup between the Bonnies and Georgia State.

BELLARMINE NOTES

• The Knights enter Wednesday's contest with an 0-3 record to begin the season. It is just Bellarmine's third year at the Division I level after making the jump from D2 in 2020-21. In their first year at D1, the Knights finished the year with a record of 5-17. In its second season at the Division I level, Bellarmine finished 4-24. Bellarmine was picked to finish 13^th in the ASUN coaches and media preseason polls.
• Bellarmine is coached by Chancellor Dugan who is in her 11^th season at the helm of the women's basketball program. While at Bellarmine, Dugan has a record of 152-129 and is 472-419 in her 31-plus years of head coaching experience. Dugan has also served as the head coach at Florida Atlantic and Southern Indiana.
• The Knights are led by Hayley Harrison and Gracie Merkle who average 10.7 points apiece this season. Merkle also leads the team in rebounding, pulling down 7.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 72.2 percent from the field.

GEORGIA STATE NOTES

• Georgia State enters the week with a 2-3 record and had lost three straight games following its 114-31 victory of Agnes Scott in the season opener before defeating Winthrop, 68-45, Monday evening. The Panthers finished the 2021-22 season with a record of 10-16. Georgia State was picked to finish 11^th in the Sun Belt preseason poll.
• The Panthers are coached by Gene Hill who is in his fifth season at the helm, touting a 49-65 record with Georgia State in four-plus seasons. Hill guided Georgia State to 17 wins in his first season.
• Georgia State is led offensively by Deasia Merrill and Mikyla Tolivert at 10.6 points per game each while Tehya Lyons (10.3 ppg) also averages double figures for the Panthers. Zay Dyer leads the Panthers on the glass, pulling down 7.6 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY VS. CLEVELAND STATE

• The Bonnies and the Vikings are set to square off for the sixth time Saturday afternoon in Cleveland. Bona's is looking to avoid dropping a third straight meeting to Cleveland State, but hold a 3-2 edge in the all-time series. The Bonnies last took down Cleveland State Dec. 4, 2006, 56-43, in Cleveland. Last season at the Wolstein Center, the Vikings got the best of the Bonnies, 58-49.

CLEVELAND STATE NOTES

• The Vikings begin the week 2-1 overall and have won two straight contests. CSU took down Big East opponent DePaul, 90-83, in overtime last Tuesday and bested Hofstra Nov. 12. The Vikings, however, fell in the season opener on the road at No. 8 Iowa State, 87-54. Cleveland State finished last season 23-9 overall, falling in the WBI Championship game. The Vikings were picked to finish third, receiving one first place vote in the Horizon League preseason poll.
• Cleveland State is coached by Chris Kielsmeier who has guided the Vikings to a 68-50 record in four-plus seasons with the team. Kielsmeier has helped the Vikings to two 20-plus win seasons over the last three years.
• The Vikings are led offensively by Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year Destiny Leo who averages 16.3 points per game to begin the year. Brittni Moore is second on the team in scoring this season at 11.7 points per and leads the team on the glass, pulling down 6.0 boards per game.

UP NEXT

• The Bonnies remain on the road, traveling to Bucknell Wednesday, Nov. 30. Tip is slated for 4:30 p.m. in Lewisburg.

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