WASHINGTON, D.C. – A 21-5 second half run from George Washington on Senior Night proved to be the undoing for St. Bonaventure Wednesday as the Revolutionaries scored an 86-75 victory at the Charles E. Smith Center.
Four Bonnies scored in double figures, led by 23 points from Daryl Banks III as well as Moses Flowers with 15, Assa Essamvous (11) and Mika Adams-Woods (10), but the story was the offense from the other side.
George Washington shot nearly 59 percent for the game and over 63 percent during the second half as the Bonnies never got the Revolutionaries out of rhythm.
The Revs shot better from the field than any Bona opponent this season – in fact, it isn't even close. Both Saint Joseph's and La Salle posted 51 percent success rates earlier in the A-10 slate.
James Bishop IV made the most of his final home game, draining 27 points along with six assists. Maximus Edwards delivered 19 points off the bench and Darren Buchanan finished with 14.
It marks just the third time that the Bonnies have allowed over 80 points in regulation to an Atlantic 10 foe since the start of the 2020-21 season.
The Bonnies (18-11, 9-8 A-10) came out firing on all cylinders offensively, hitting nine of their first 12 attempts from the floor.
George Washington (15-15, 4-13) nearly matched the Bonnies shot for shot, however, trailing by just a point a little over nine minutes in despite 11 quick points by Flowers.
St. Bonaventure, despite facing deep foul trouble in the front court, found a bit of breathing room by taking advantage of a foul and a technical whistled against the Revolutionaries which led to four free throws and an eight-point lead, the largest of the night for the visitors.
Trey Autry drained a long trey at the halftime buzzer, though, sending the Revs to the break with momentum while behind just 42-37.
GW carried that momentum into the second half, stretching their run to 14-4 for their first lead since the opening minutes, 48-46, and forcing a Bona timeout.
Bona scored the next five, but any sense of lasting momentum would be fleeting in this contest. The hosts then started their game-changing sprint and the Bonnies would never lead again.
A four-minute dry spell while George Washington started to fly became the game-changing moment of the game, but the Revolutionaries won with a complete effort.
GW won the battle of the boards, 31-22, and became just the second A-10 team to hold Chad Venning to single-digit scoring all year (six points). The hosts held a 24-20 margin in the paint, though they had double the amount of turnovers as Bona (14-7).
Fifteen 3-pointers fell as well for the Revs, again the most of any Bonnies opponent on the year, with their 52 percent shooting from deep shattering what was a 32 percent average for SBU foes beyond the arc on the season.
St. Bonaventure has one more opportunity to turn things around before the Atlantic 10 Tournament as the Bonnies host the regular season finale Saturday vs. Saint Louis. Tip time at the Reilly Center is slated for 12:30 p.m.
