CLEVELAND – The St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team led for over 38 minutes, defeating Radford, 55-45, Friday afternoon in the second game of the CSU Invitational.
Aaliyah Parker paced the Bonnies with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Mackenzie Pettinelli, Laycee Drake and Mallory Heise chipped in seven points each for the Brown and White while Gabby Robinson and Ivona Djikanovic tallied six points apiece.
The Bonnies (6-2) led the Highlanders by five early in the first before using a 9-0 run capped off by a Heise layup to push the lead to double digits, 18-4.
Heise converted on 3-pointer in the final 30 seconds of the first, giving the Bonnies a 21-8 lead after one.
The Highlanders battled back in the second quarter, closing the first half on a 9-0 run of their own to cut the Bonnies lead to six, 25-19, at the break.
Coming out of the break, the Bonnies were able to push their lead back to double digits, 31-21, following Djikanovic's fast break score with 6:04 remaining in the third.
With under 30 seconds to play in the third, the Highlanders (5-4) trimmed the Bonnies lead down to five, 37-32.
Radford battled all the way to take its first lead of the game, 42-40, after a Cherish Haywood three with 6:58 showing on the clock.
On the next possession, Pettinelli converted on a four-point play after being fouled on a three-point chance, putting the Bonnies back on top 44-42.
The Bonnies would never trail again with the help of seven straight points from Parker to push the lead to seven, 49-42.
Bona's led the Highlanders, 50-45, with 1:56 remaining in the game when Parker hit a jump shot to push the lead back to seven.
Radford was forced to foul as the Bonnies iced the game from the free throw line.
GAME NOTES
- The Bonnies finished the night shooting 21-for-57 (36.8 percent) from the field and held Radford to 16-for-59 (27.1 percent) from the floor.
- Bona's outrebounded the Highlanders, 41-37.
- The Brown and White registered 14 second chance points Friday on 11 offensive rebounds.
- The Bonnies led for 38:28 of Friday's contest against Radford.
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH JIM CROWLEY
"Really pleased with our resiliency. The offensive start was really good. We were moving the ball and to Radford's credit they changed some things up and took that away and we got pretty tentative offensively. We rushed a few shots but when we needed to make some plays in the fourth we did. Mackenzie's four-point play was huge, Aaliyah made some big plays, but what did do for 40 minutes was defend. We didn't turn the ball over much and that's what gave us a chance against a very solid Radford club."
UP NEXT
The Bonnies wrap up play at the CSU Invitational Saturday, Nov. 29 against Valparaiso. Tipoff is slated for 1:00 p.m.
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