ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Dani Haskell matched her career-high of 27 points to lead the St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team to an 84-72 win over Loyola Chicago in the Atlantic 10 opener Saturday afternoon at the Reilly Center.
Haskell finished the contest 8-for-15 overall, including four 3-pointers and was 7-for-8 from the free throw line. Isabellah Middleton registered her first double-double in the Brown and White with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Claire Cody posted a new career-best with 17 points, scoring 14 in the second half alone, while Nadechka Laccen added 10 points.
Loyola Chicago scored the first basket of the game with a 3-pointer from Alyssa Fisher, but the Bonnies and Haskell responded with a three of their own to tie the game early on.
The Bonnies (4-8, 1-0 A-10) would never trail again, leading for nearly 38 minutes of game time.
Haskell netted 10 of her 27 points in the first quarter to help the Bonnies build a four-point lead after the first 10 minutes, 21-17.
Bona's offense kept its foot on the gas in the second, ending the half on 12-2 run and holding the Ramblers scoreless over the final 4:35 of the half to take a 40-25 lead into halftime.
The Ramblers (6-6, 0-1 A-10), however, did not go away quietly, using a 16-4 run in the third quarter to pull within five, 54-49, with 39 second left in the quarter.
Cody came down on the following possession and made a three with time winding down, pushing the Bonnies lead back to eight, 57-49, heading into the final period.
Another Cody 3-pointer with 1:56 remaining in the contest gave the Bonnies a 14-point, 72-58, advantage that was too large for the Ramblers to overcome.
Bona's converted 12-of-15 free throws over the final 1:30 to seal the victory.
The Bonnies return to action Wednesday, Jan. 3 on the road at Fordham. Tip is slated for 11:00 a.m. in a special Education Day game.
GAME NOTES
- Saturday marked the third game this season that Dani Haskell has scored 20 or more points. Her previous season-high was 23 points vs. Robert Morris Nov. 11.
- The Bonnies finished the contest shooting 54.9 percent (28-for-51) from the floor and 59.1 percent (13-for-22) from the beyond the arc, both season-highs.
- Bona's earned its first win in an Atlantic 10 opener since defeating Rhode Island to begin conference play during the 2016-17 season.
- Teams led by Coach Crowley have now won nine consecutive Atlantic 10 games at the Reilly Center, dating back to the 2015-16 season when the Bonnies were a perfect 8-0 at home during conference play.
-----
For the latest news on St. Bonaventure athletics, stay connected on social media. Follow the Bonnies on Twitter @GoBonnies and get women's basketball updates @BonniesWBB. Keep up with the Bonnies on Facebook /GoBonnies and on Instagram @GoBonnies.
