July 28 marked 100 days until the 2019-20 tip off for the Centennial Season of St. Bonaventure basketball. Each day leading up to the first game, St. Bonaventure Athletics will treat fans to moments from the history of Bonnies basketball, from tremendous photos, game programs, memorabilia and more, all leading up to a November 5 season tip.
Fans wishing to share photos or memorabilia from their favorite Bonnies moments should email them to seddy@sbu.edu.
Days 100-91Â |Â Days 90-81Â |Â Days 80-71Â |Â Days 70-61Â |Â Days 60-51Â |Â Return to #Bonnies100 Site
DAY 50Â (September 16)
With 50 days left in our countdown, we remember the 1950-51 campaign which was Bona’s first in the NIT under head coach Eddie Melvin, seen here with his players in Butler Gym from a photo taken in 1953.
Melvin led St. Bonaventure basketball to its first postseason berth in 1949, to the National Catholic Invitational Tournament. In 1950-51, he guided the Bonnies to a then-program record 19 wins and an NIT berth. In all, he directed St. Bonaventure to a 98-46 record as head coach.
DAY 49Â (September 17)
The 1951-52 Bonnies established a new program record for victories as they won 21 times against only six defeats in a season where they would reach the NIT for the second year in a row. Here, the Bonnies take on Duquesne in Pittsburgh during that season. The Bonnies would have four straight years of 18+ wins under head coach Eddie Melvin from 1948-1952.
DAY 48Â (September 18)
The 1976-77 season was an unforgettable one for Bonnies fans as St. Bonaventure took New York City by storm, winning the NIT Championship in Madison Square Garden. In this photo, Essie Hollis, Coach Jim Satalin, Jim Baron and manager Leo Pusateri celebrate at a title rally in The RC upon returning home.
DAY 47Â (September 19)
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, St. Bonaventure became one of the nation’s top programs, rising to a top-five standing in the national polls multiple times. At the heart of some of those great teams were the Stith brothers – Tom and Sam – as well as Whitey Martin. The trio is pictured here at the 1960 team banquet with their post-season awards, including All-American honors.
DAY 46Â (September 20)
In this photo, Andrew Nicholson holds up his MVP trophy following the Bonnies' Atlantic 10 Championship triumph in Atlantic City.
Nicholson was one of the leaders ushering in heralding in the new era of success under head coach Mark Schmidt, leading the Bonnies to the Atlantic 10 Tournament title over Xavier in 2012 with an MVP performance: 26 points, 14 rebounds and 8 blocks. He was the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and was drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft by Orlando three months later.
DAY 45Â (September 21)
The Bonnies have again become a national brand under head coach Mark Schmidt. Schmidt’s team gave Bonnies fans everywhere a title to remember as they captured the 2012 Atlantic 10 championship, earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000. Bona scored wins over Saint Joseph's, UMass and Xavier in Atlantic City to take the A-10 crown.
DAY 44 (September 22)
Jaylen Adams was nearly unstoppable on Feb. 7, 2018, at the Reilly Center when he poured in a career-high 44 points in a win over Saint Louis.
Included in his performance were a school-record 10 three-pointers as he went 14-for-18 from the field, 10-for-13 from distance and 6-for-8 at the line. He also added six assists, giving him a hand in 74 percent of the Bonnies points. The effort gave him back-to-back 40-point games as he had scored 40 just four days earlier at Duquesne. Only three times in school history has a Bonnies player posted 40 or more points in back-to-back games: Bob Lanier did so in February 1969 and Tom Stith also accomplished the feat in December 1959.
Adams, who played last season in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks and is currently with the Milwaukee Bucks, finished his Bonnies career as the top-scoring guard in program history with 1,912 points. He was a three-time First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection, Honorable Mention All-American and was named Co-Atlantic 10 Player of the Year as a senior.
DAY 43Â (September 23)
Today, the Reilly Center remains one of the best atmospheres in all of Division I basketball. Here, a full house celebrates the final buzzer of a Bonnies win over then-No. 14/16 Rhode Island on Feb. 16, 2018. In their first 52 seasons in The RC, the Bonnies have posted an all-time record of 470-211.
DAY 42Â (September 24)
From its early days, the Reilly Center has been one of the nation’s best atmospheres for college basketball. Packed houses, like this one from a 1968 game, have been the norm in the five-plus decades since The RC opened. Frequently cited as one of the top home court advantages in the country, ESPN selected The RC as the most difficult place for opponents to visit in the Atlantic 10 as part of a 2016 poll.
DAY 41Â (September 25)
At the 75th anniversary celebration of Bonnies basketball on Feb. 10, 1995, a team of even number scholarship year players took on a group of odd number years in a game at the Reilly Center. The odd year players won, 76-72, behind the efforts of the players pictured. In the celebratory photo are kneeling: Coach Jim Baron - '77, and his son; Chris Meadows '93; Matt Passalazqua '93; Mark Jones '83; Eric Franz '83; Paul Grys '71; Back Row L-R: Vinnie Martin ‘69, Jim Crough ‘57, Don Newhook ‘59, Mike Schrauth ‘59, John Hayes ‘69, Rob Garbade ‘83, Bob Sassone ‘53, Tim Waterman ‘79, Tom Stith ‘61, Greg Gary ‘71, Dale Tepas ‘71 and Darren Quinlin ‘87.
Check back each day as we continue our 100 Years, 100 Days Countdown To Tip Off! Continue to the next set of days | Or look back at previous countdown memories
