By: Dylan Nuzzo, Assistant Sports Information Director
ST. BONAVENTURE (12-9, 3-6 A-10) at DAYTON (10-10, 3-6 A-10)
Wednesday, Jan. 28 – 7:00 p.m.
Dayton, Ohio – UD Arena
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Bonnies Online Network
The St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team looks to snap a three-game losing skid when it travels to take on Dayton Wednesday, Jan. 28. Tipoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. at UD Arena.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bonnies fell to La Salle, 83-74, Saturday afternoon at the Reilly Center.
Laycee Drake paced the Bonnies with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Also finishing in double figures for the Bonnies was Olivia DiFranco with 12 points, Mallory Heise with 11 points and Brillana Boyd with 10 points. Boyd and Aaliyah Parker pulled down a team-best six rebounds for the Brown and White.
Bona's jumped out to an early lead before the Explorers used a 46-11 run between the end of the first and second quarter to take a double-digit lead at halftime.
La Salle's lead grew to as many as 28 in the third quarter, but the Bonnies battled their way back into the game in the fourth quarter. DiFranco cashed in on a 3-pointer with under a minute to play to cut the deficit to single digits, but the Bonnies were forced to foul, sending the Explorers to the line to secure the win.
60 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
Bona's is 10-1 this season when allowing 60 or less points, giving up 60.3 points per game. Rhode Island touts the best scoring defense in the A-10, allowing just 54.1 points per contest.
The Brown and White are allowing opponents to shoot just 38.1 percent overall from the floor this season, ranking fifth in the Atlantic 10.
DEFENDING THE THREE
The Brown and White currently sit second in the Atlantic 10 and 27th in the NCAA, holding opponents to a 26.8 shooting percentage from beyond the arc this season.
The Bonnies have held opponents to five or fewer made 3-pointers 12 times this season, including a season-low one made three in the season opener against Mansfield Nov. 3.
SWIPER NO SWIPING
The Bonnies have had fast hands on defense this season, averaging 8.0 steals per game this season.
Aaliyah Parker leads the Bonnies and ranks sixth in the Atlantic 10 this season with 40 steals. Laycee Drake sits just behind Parker with 38 steals, ranking ninth in the A-10. Mackenzie Pettinelli is also averaging over a steal per game with 29 thefts this season.
DAYTON NOTES
- Dayton enters the week 10-10 overall and 3-6 in Atlantic 10 play, falling to Rhode Island Sunday afternoon, 79-66. The Flyers finished last season 18-14 overall and 11-7 against conference foes. Dayton was picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll.
- Tamika Williams-Jeter is in her fourth season as the head coach of the Flyers, touting a 47-63 record in Dayton. Across her five seasons as a head coach, Williams-Jeter is 65-71 overall.
- Nayo Lear leads the way offensively for Dayton, averaging 15.4 points per game overall and 12.0 points per contest during Atlantic 10 play. On the glass, Fatima Ibrahim is pulling down a team-best 6.6 rebounds per game.
SERIES HISTORY
The Bonnies and Flyers are set to meet for the 36th time Wednesday evening. Dayton leads the all-time series, 24-11, and have won three straight against the Bonnies. Bona's is just 3-13 all-time against Dayton at UD Arena.
The last time the Bonnies defeated Dayton was Jan. 19, 2023, taking down the Flyers, 54-53, after Maddie Dziezgowski made the game-winning shot with five seconds to play.
Bonnies head coach Jim Crowley is 6-15 all-time against the Flyers.
UP NEXT
The Bonnies remain on the road and head west to The Windy City to take on Loyola Chicago Saturday, Jan. 31. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Gentile Arena in Chicago.
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