ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – For the first time in nearly 20 years, the St. Bonaventure men's basketball team will face Youngstown State on Saturday (Nov. 15) at the Reilly Center. The game will be televised on the YES Network and streamed live on ESPN+. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
 
SIZZLING SIMMONS II
St. Bonaventure's early success is due in large part to a pair of stellar scoring performances by Buddy Simmons II. After scoring 22 points in SBU's season-opener against Bradley (Nov. 3), the junior led the Bonnies with 24 points in Wednesday's (Nov. 12) win over Siena.
 
Simmons II hardly missed all night, going 9-for-13 from the field, 2-for-2 from three-point range and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. 
 
As of Thursday (Nov. 13), his nine made field goals were tied for second most out of any Atlantic 10 player in a single game so far in 2025-26. By shooting 69.2 percent from the field, Simmons II posted the third-highest shooting percentage of his career in games where he took 10-or-more shots.
 
The Putnam Science Academy product is averaging a team-high 20 points per game this season, second-most in the Atlantic 10 behind only George Mason's Kory Mincy.
 
1K CAYDEN
Senior guard Cayden Charles hit a significant milestone on Wednesday, surpassing 1,000 career points with a basket in the first half.
 
Charles had scored 972 points over three seasons at Division II North Georgia before averaging 14.0 points over St. Bonaventure's first three games of the season to reach the 1,000-point mark. 
 
"All it means is I've been playing for a minute," Charles joked after the game. "It's a nice accomplishment... hopefully I have a lot more points to go."
 
If the first three games of the season are any indication, Charles does have much more scoring to come. The senior has reached double figures in every game so far, and is shooting 48.1 percent (13-for-27) from the field.
 
Charles has also made a significant impact on the glass, averaging 7.0 rebounds per game which is tied for sixth most in the Atlantic 10. Ten of Charles' 21 rebounds have come on the offensive end, which also ranks top five in the conference. 
 
BLOCK PARTY
The Bonnies have excelled at defending the rim during the early portion of the season. 
 
St. Bonaventure is averaging 6.7 blocked shots per game, which is second-most among Atlantic 10 teams and ranks 21st in Division I. Joe Grahovac has led the way, averaging a team-best 3.0 blocks per game and tallying a season-high four blocks against Siena.
 
Fellow frontcourt members Frank Mitchell and Andrew Osasuyi have chipped in with four blocks on the season.
 
TO BE FRANK
Frank Mitchell has made an immediate impact in the scoring column and on the boards early in his St. Bonaventure career. 
 
The 6-8 forward has posted back-to-back double-doubles in his first two games at the Reilly Center. Last Saturday (Nov. 8) against Canisius, Mitchell had a team-high 20 points and 11 rebounds. Then, on Wednesday (Nov. 12) vs. Siena, he tallied 13 points and 10 boards.
 
As of Thursday (Nov. 13), Mitchell is the only player in the Atlantic 10 with two-or-more double doubles, and the only player in the conference averaging a double-double. 
 
Mitchell is the St. Bonaventure player to record back-to-back double-doubles since Chance Moore in 2024 (Dec. 14 and Dec. 17). 
 
SHUT DOWN THE SAINTS
St. Bonaventure had one its best defensive performances in the Mark Schmidt era in its win over Siena on Wednesday. For just the fourth time under Schmidt, the Bonnies posted at least 10 steals and eight blocks while holding their opponent to under 40 percent shooting from the field. 
 
The Bonnies' eight blocks are a season-high, and the most for SBU since Nov. 28, 2024, against Utah State. 
 
St. Bonaventure was able to capitalize on its strong defense, scoring a season-best 21 points off 14 forced turnovers.
 
NOTES:

• The Penguins have started the season at 2-1. After a season-opening loss at Pittsburgh (Nov. 3), YSU beat Grand Canyon on the road (Nov. 7) and Penn State Shenango (Nov. 10).
• Youngstown State is one of the best mid-major teams in the country at forcing turnovers, ranking 33rd in Division I in turnovers forced (18.3 opponent turnovers per game) and 55th in steals (10.0 per game).
• Senior forward Cris Carroll leads the team in scoring with 14.7 points per game. He has reached double figures in all three of Youngstown State's games.
• The Penguins went 21-13 in 2024-25, falling in the championship game of the Horizon League Tournament to Robert Morris.
• 22.3 percent of YSU's minutes and 21.9 percent of its scoring have returned from last season's roster.
• St. Bona's leads the all-time series, 6-1, and has not lost to Youngstown State since the 1946-47 season.
• Of the seven games that St. Bonaventure has played against Youngstown State, six of them occurred before the 1952-53 season. 
• St. Bonaventure won the last meeting between the two schools, 66-58, on Dec. 10, 2005. Michael Lee led the way with 21 points and nine rebounds.