FORT MYERS, Fla. – The St. Bonaventure men's basketball team is set to face its first ranked opponent of the 2025-26 season in No. 18-ranked North Carolina on Tuesday (Nov. 25), at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be televised live on FS1.
 
Giant Slayers
St. Bonaventure has established itself as a significant threat to high-major opponents in recent years. In its last 20 games against high-major opponents (Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12 and BIG EAST), the Bonnies are 12-8. This record includes wins over prestigious programs such as Notre Dame (2022), Virginia (2022, NIT) and Marquette (2021).
 
Just last season, St. Bonaventure took down BIG EAST foe Providence at a neutral site, 74-70 (Dec. 14, 2024; Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase). 
 
Blue bloods are not exempt from the Bonnies' exceptional record against high-major opponents, as SBU took down UCLA, 65-58, in an NCAA Tournament matchup in 2018 (March 13, 2018; First Four).
 
Seeing Double
Frank Mitchell and Cayden Charles each had double-doubles in Thursday's (Nov. 20) win over Robert Morris. Mitchell had 19 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, while Charles recorded 12 points and 10 boards. It was the first time since 2022 that St. Bonaventure has had two-or-more players record a double-double in a single game.
 
Mitchell became the first Bona's player to have at least 19 points and 16 boards in a game since Osun Ossuniyi had a stellar 21-point, 17-rebound performance against Duquesne on Jan. 21, 2022. 
 
Mitchell has an Atlantic-10-best three double-doubles on the season. There are no other players in the conference with more than one.
 
Meanwhile, Charles continues to build on an impressive early-season run in the scoring column. He has reached double figures in all five games this season, averaging 14.4 points per game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field (48.9 percent; 22-for-45).
 
Buddy Buckets
Buddy Simmons II has undoubtedly been the offensive catalyst to St. Bonaventure's 5-0 start. The junior is averaging 18.6 points per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from three-point range.
 
As of Sunday (Nov. 23), Simmons II ranks second in the Atlantic 10 in scoring and top-10 in both field goal percentage and three-point percentage.
 
Block Party
The Bonnies continue to excel at blocking shots on the defensive end. Joe Grahovac (12), Mitchell (6), and freshman Andrew Osasuyi (6) have helped St. Bonaventure post 29 blocks, its most through the first five games of the season since 2021-22.
 
Grahovac leads the team with 2.4 blocks per game. He has had at least three blocks in three of SBU's five games this season.
 
The Bonnies' 5.8 blocks per game ranks 23rd in the nation and is tied for first in the Atlantic 10 as of Sunday (Nov. 23).
 
St. Bonaventure is one of the most efficient shot-blocking teams in the country, posting a block percentage of 16.8 percent. This ranks 20th in Division I and first in the Atlantic 10.
 
Cleaning the Glass
St. Bonaventure has been very successful on the glass early in the season. The Bonnies currently own a +9.6 average rebounding margin over their opponents. 
 
SBU is averaging 14.6 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks second in the Atlantic 10 and 39th in the nation. 
 
The Bonnies rank 10th in the country in offensive rebound percentage, securing 44.0 percent of their own missed shots this season. This leads the Atlantic 10 conference. 
 
Power in the Paint
The Bonnies have dominated opponents in the paint this season. St. Bonaventure has scored at least 40 points in the paint in four straight games and is averaging exactly 40.0 points per game in the paint. 
 
SBU is outscoring opponents in the paint 200-148 this season, a +52-point margin. 
 
Notes:

• The Tar Heels enter Tuesday's matchup at 5-0, having played all five games at home.
• Freshman Caleb Wilson leads UNC in both points (20.5 PPG) and rebounds (10.0 RPG).
• North Carolina picked up a key win over No. 24-ranked Kansas on Nov. 7.
• Tuesday will be the second ever matchup between North Carolina and St. Bonaventure.
• North Carolina won the only matchup between the two schools, 91-72, on March 15, 1968, in the NCAA Tournament. SBU legends Bob Lanier and Bill Butler each had 23 points in the loss.
• No. 18-ranked North Carolina will be the Bonnies first ranked opponent since the 2023-24 season.