FORT MYERS, Fla. – The St. Bonaventure men's basketball team will face East Carolina on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27) in its second and final matchup of the Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for noon ET, and the game will be televised live on FS1. 
 
Carving Up The Defense
Buddy Simmons II has been carving up defenders this season. The junior is averaging a career- and team-best 19.2 points while shooting a career-best 44.7 percent (17-for-38) from three-point range. 
 
As a 5-11 guard, Simmons II has shot a staggering 49.4 percent (42-for-85) from the field. He's also shooting a team-best 87.5 percent (14-for-16) from the free throw line.
 
The Detroit native has scored at least 20 points in half (3-of-6) of St. Bonaventure's games this season. He has reached double figures and made at least five shots from the field in all six.
 
Simmons II will look to stay hot against a familiar opponent in ECU on Thursday (Nov. 27). Last season with Gardner-Webb, Simmons II scored 29 points against the Pirates (Dec. 21, 2024) shooting 9-for-12 from the field and 5-for-6 from three-point range. The scoring total remains the second highest of Simmons II's career. 
 
Pass The Gravy
Bonnies point guard Dasonte Bowen has been a steady presence running the SBU offense this season. While relatively quiet in the scoring column, Bowen has been successful facilitating for his teammates.
 
Bowen's 3.7 assists per game are tied for eighth-most in the Atlantic 10. Meanwhile, the Boston native's assist/turnover ratio of 2.75 ranks second in the conference, behind only preseason All-Atlantic-10 first team member Javon Bennett of Dayton.
 
Back For Seconds
St. Bonaventure has been one of the top teams in the country in offensive rebounding this season. The Bonnies' 14.0 offensive boards per game ranks in the top 50 in the nation. 
 
St. Bonaventure's offensive rebound percentage of 40.6 percent ranks 30th in the nation and first in the Atlantic 10.
 
Frank Mitchell and Cayden Charles have led the way for the Bonnies, averaging a combined 6.8 offensive rebounds per game. Freshman Andrew Osasuyi has also contributed on the offensive glass off the bench, averaging 2.0 offensive boards in just 12.2 minutes per game.
 
Mitchell's 26 offensive rebounds lead the Atlantic 10. His 9.8 total rebounds per game also lead the conference. 
 
Sharing The Stuffing
The Bonnies have made it difficult for opposing teams in the paint, ranking 36th in the country in total blocks (34) and 21st in block percentage (16.2 percent). St. Bonaventure has tallied at least five blocks in five of six games this season.
 
Joe Grahovac (13 blocks), Osasuyi (8) and Mitchell (7) have spearheaded the defensive effort. Each has at least seven blocks through six games this season.
 
The Leftovers
Despite overcoming an 11-point deficit to eventually take the lead in the first half, St. Bonaventure fell to No. 16-ranked North Carolina, 85-70, on Tuesday night (Nov. 25) in its first game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off.
 
Simmons II had a team-best 22 points while shooting 9-for-16 from the field and 4-for-6 from three-point range. Mitchell added 18 points, six rebounds and two assists.
 
Down 10 points with 11 minutes to play in the half, the Bonnies settled in and made a run to take the lead. After layups from Amar'e Marshall and Simmons II, Ilia Ermakov drilled a three to cap off a 7-0 run and force a North Carolina timeout. Ermakov's first career points pulled the Bonnies between three.
 
Out of the timeout, Veesaar made a layup to break up the run. The Bonnies and Tar Heels each scored on their next possessions before St. Bonaventure took off on another 7-0 spurt. A dunk by Andrew Osasuyi capped off the stretch, giving SBU a 30-28 lead over North Carolina with 5:58 before the break. 
 
UNC held the Bonnies to only one made field goal the rest of the half. St. Bonaventure went into halftime trailing by just two, 35-33.
 
With 14:27 to play in the second half, the Tar Heels went on a 9-0 run to take a double-digit lead they would maintain throughout the rest of the game. The Bonnies would pull within 10 and trail by as many as 20 down the stretch. When the final buzzer sounded, SBU fell, 85-70.
 
Notes:

• The Pirates enter Thursday at 2-4 after falling to Michigan State, 89-56, on Tuesday (Nov. 25) in the first game of the Fort Myers Tip-off. 
• East Carolina fell to A-10 member Richmond, 87-72, on Nov. 8.
• ECU is led by Jordan Riley, who is averaging a team-best 17.4 points. 
• Riley led the American in steals last season with 2.0 steals per game and is on pace to do so again, averaging 2.5 steals over the Pirates' first six games.
• Thursday will be the first-ever matchup between St. Bonaventure and East Carolina.
• ECU is one of two teams on the 2025-26 schedule that the Bonnies will face for the first time (Bloomsburg, Dec. 3).