By: Dylan Nuzzo, Assistant Sports Information Director
ST. BONAVENTURE (4-22, 1-14 A-10) at SAINT LOUIS (11-17, 6-9 A-10)
Sunday, Feb. 25 – 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT
St. Louis, Mo.
TV: ESPN+
Radio: WSBU 88.3 FM
The St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team travels to the Gateway to the West to take on Saint Louis Sunday, Feb. 25. Tip is slated for 3:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. CT at Chaifetz Arena.
OPENING TIP
The Bonnies are coming off a heartbreaking loss to George Mason, 57-53, after leading for over 30 minutes of game time. Isabellah Middleton led the Bonnies with 13 points and eight rebounds. Dani Haskell and Payton Fields each chipped in 12 points for the Brown and White.
The Bonnies led for over 30 minutes of game time Wednesday, but George Mason outscored the Bonnies, 17-8, in the final period.
Bona started 4-for-7 from long range to build a lead in the first half, but then went cold, going 1-for-12 in the final three quarters beyond the perimeter.
BY THE NUMBERS
5.8 – Isabellah Middleton leads the Bonnies this season on the glass, grabbing 5.8 boards per game. Her 151 total rebounds this season ranks 13th overall in the Atlantic 10 and third among A-10 guards behind Duquesne's Megan McConnell (236) and Massachusetts' Stefanie Kulesza (193). Middleton has pulled down five or more rebounds in 18 games this season.
7 – Payton Fields has started the last seven games for the Brown and White, averaging 30.4 minutes per game. Fields has scored in double figures four times, including the last three contests and is averaging 8.6 points and 6.3 rebounds during this stretch. She is shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc.
25.3 – Sophomore Kirah Dandridge is averaging 25.3 minutes per game this season which is up from 16.7 minutes per contest as a freshman a season ago. Dandridge leads the Bonnies and has posted career-highs in assists (51) as well as steals (30).
39 – The Bonnies have pulled down 39 rebounds in back-to-back games and is the second-highest mark of the season behind the 42 boards against Niagara in the season opener. The Bonnies outrebounded the Patriots Wednesday night, 39-34. The Bonnies are averaging 32.3 rebounds per contest this season.
SAINT LOUIS NOTES
- Defending Atlantic 10 Tournament champion Saint Louis enters the weekend 11-17 overall and 6-9 in A-10 play. The Billikens have lost back-to-back games to Fordham and Duquesne, but had taken down Rhode Island and Loyola Chicago prior to that. Saint Louis was picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll, receiving two first-place votes.
- SLU is coached by Rebecca Tillett who is in her second season at the helm of the women's basketball program. Tillett is 28-35 in her one-plus season at Saint Louis and is 79-103 overall after spending four years at Longwood.
- The Billikens are led by Kyla McMakin who is averaging 16.6 points per game. Also in double figures for SLU are Peyton Kennedy (15.1 ppg) and Brooklyn Gray (11.8 ppg). On the glass, Julia Martinez is pulling down 6.1 rebounds per contest.
SERIES HISTORY
The Bonnies and Billikens are set to meet for the 19th time Sunday afternoon. Saint Louis leads the all-time series against St. Bonaventure, 10-8, and has won the last eight matchups. The last time the Bonnies beat the Billikens was on Feb. 10, 2016 when SBU won, 80-59, behind 19 points from Miranda Drummond, 14 tallies from Nyla Rueter and 12 markers from Katie Healy.
Coach Crowley is 8-2 all-time against Saint Louis, including a stretch of five straight wins from 2008-14.
UP NEXT
The Bonnies wrap up the road portion of their schedule Wednesday, Feb. 28 when they travel to take on Massachusetts. Tip is slated for 6:00 p.m. at the Mullins Center.
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