ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – One of the most storied rivalries in St. Bonaventure men's basketball history will add a new chapter on Saturday (Nov. 8) at the Reilly Center, as the Bonnies take on Canisius. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
BUDDY BALL
Two games into the 2025-26 college basketball season, Buddy Simmons II stood alone atop the Division I scoring leaderboard. Simmons II's 24-point performance on Monday (Nov. 3) paced the Bonnies in a hard-fought 69-63 win over Bradley. 
 
Simmons II had the highest-scoring Bonnies debut (against a Division I opponent) since Carl Jackson in 1970. Jackson, a St. Bonaventure Hall-of-Famer, scored 24 points of his own in a 104-73 win over Detroit College in 1970. 
 
Fifty-five years later, Simmons II has made a similar, immediate impact. His two dozen points accounted for nearly 35 percent of the Bonnies' offense. The junior buried a go-ahead three with 1:06 remaining to lift SBU to the season-opening win.
 
"He can really score the ball, he can shoot the ball, he's tough and he's not afraid..." Bonnies' coach Mark Schmidt said on Simmons II. "He hit the big shot and that's what we need him to do. He needs to put the ball in the basket for us. He did today and hopefully he can continue to do that."
 
Simmons II led the Big South in three-pointers made (82) last season at Gardner-Webb, earning Second Team All-Conference. Now, with the Bonnies, he is primed to be one of the Atlantic 10's premier scorers in 2025-26.
 
DIVISION I DEBUTS
Four Bonnies made their debuts at the Division I level on Monday. Cayden Charles (Div. II North Georgia) and Joe Grahovac (JuCo Fullerton College) both excelled at a higher level, combining for 26 points and 16 rebounds. 
 
Charles stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points (14 first half), eight rebounds, three steals, one block and one assist.
 
Meanwhile, Grahovac shined in his first game at any level of NCAA competition. The 6-10 forward posted 11 points and eight rebounds while shooting 5-for-8 from the field. Grahovac's elite shooting touch was on full display, drilling one three-pointer and several midrange jumpers. 
 
In addition to Charles and Grahovac, two Bonnies freshmen also made their debut. Andrew Osasuyi got the start in his first collegiate game, recording three points, four rebounds and a block in just nine minutes. His Italian teammate, Achille Lonati, posted two rebounds and an assist in five minutes of action.
 
TO BE FRANK
St. Bonaventure forward Frank Mitchell played two seasons at Canisius from 2022-24. After redshirting the 2022-23 season, Mitchell averaged 12.1 points and 11.6 rebounds with the Griffs in 2023-24. He led the MAAC in rebounds per game, field goal percentage (56.1%) and effective field goal percentage (56.6%). Mitchell was named Second Team All-MAAC for his efforts and remains the most recent Canisius player to receive second or first team conference honors.
 
Mitchell played against the Bonnies at the Reilly Center with Canisius, tallying 11 points and 10 rebounds in a 70-67 win for the Golden Griffins.
 
SERIES NOTES:

• The Golden Griffins recorded a 3-28 record last season, going 3-17 in MAAC play.
• Canisius opened the season with a loss to fellow A-10 member Dayton, 88-48. On Thursday (Nov. 7), the Golden Griffins got back on track with an 84-43 win over Div. III Allegheny College.
• The Bonnies and Golden Griffins have met 173 times. It is the most games that Bona's has played against any single team in its history.
• St. Bonaventure won its most recent meeting with Canisius, 87-78, on Nov. 9, 2024 at the Reilly Center. Chance Moore scored a season-high 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting in the win.
• The two teams met every year from 1946 to 2000 and, after a one-year gap, every season from 2002-2019.
• The Bonnies are 35-7 all-time against Canisius at the Reilly Center.