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 50-41Â |Â Return to #Bonnies100 Site
DAY 60Â (September 6)
In this 1959 photo, Mike Cavaliere goes for a shot over a defender while Sam Stith looks on.
The #Bonnies were in the midst of glorious run where they were one of the nation's best teams every year. The Brown and White made the NIT in 1957, '58, '59, and '60 before earning an NCAA Tournament bid in 1961. The 1958-59 squad put up an outstanding 20-3 final record.
St. Bonaventure rose as high as No. 13 in the national rankings in 1959 and reached No. 9 the following year.
DAY 59Â (September 7)
59 days until tipoff and we get two images for today.
We take a look at the team photos from both the 1958-59 and 1959-60 seasons, a time in the heart of Bona's run of elite campaigns under head coach Eddie Donovan.
Basketball fans nationwide were familiar with the Bonnies and their powerhouse teams. In these two seasons, St. Bonaventure won 41 of 49 games.
DAY 58Â (September 8)
Though the 2019-20 season represents the 100th year of intercollegiate basketball at St. Bonaventure, the sport’s roots at the University date back even further. Intramural basketball gathered a following during the early 1900s with games between classmates including this 1914 squad. Evidence of basketball at the University dates back to the turn of the 20th century, with intramural contests going back at least to 1902 as ties to the game continued to strengthen in the Bonaventure community.
DAY 57Â (September 9)
Andrew Nicholson meets with triumphant fans following one of the best games in Reilly Center history, a 98-93 double overtime win over Saint Joseph's on Feb. 29, 2012. It would be voted as the RC's top game all-time by the Olean Times-Herald during the arena's 50th anniversary season.
Nicholson scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the Bonnies locked in a top-four seed in that year's Atlantic 10 Tournament, which became key to the eventual conference championship for the squad.
The entire game was never separated by more than six points with 14 lead changes and 18 ties. Watch more about this game
DAY 56Â (September 10)
Bill Butler addresses a crowd of several thousand in downtown Olean as the Bonnies and the local community celebrated their NCAA Tournament victory over Boston College March 9, 1968. The Bonnies won their 23rd consecutive game to remain undefeated, scoring a 102-93 win. Butler led the way with 34 points and the Bonnies' legendary "Ironman Five" of Butler, Bob Lanier, John Hayes, Jim Satalin and Billy Kalbaugh all addressed the crowd at the welcome home parade.
Noted for his aggressive play and the polish of his many skills, Butler was St. Bonaventure's captain in 1967-68. He was named by Look Magazine to the All-District Team the same season. Butler finished his career with 1,462 points during his career and grabbed 650 rebounds, also delivering 34 points in an NCAA Tournament win over Boston College in 1968. His No. 14 jersey hangs in the Reilly Center rafters and he was selected to the Athletics Hall of Fame.
DAY 55Â (September 11)
With 55 days left in our countdown, we pause today to remember September 11 and pray for all those whose lives were affected on that day.
DAY 54Â (September 12)
David Vanterpool rises for a shot at the Reilly Center.
Vanterpool helped lead the Bonnies back to national respect, taking Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team honors in 1991-92. As a senior, he averaged 17.5 ppg and was named First Team All-A-10. More importantly, he led the 1994-95 team to the NIT - the first for the program since 1983. Vanterpool stands 14th all-time in career scoring with 1,474 points and is also among the program's leaders in assists (401, eighth), rebounding (630, 22nd) and three-pointers (106, 19th). His 247 steals were at the time a school record and a total that still ranks fourth in program history. A player in the NBA for Washington and New Jersey, Vanterpool today is a well-respected NBA assistant coach, now serving as Minnesota Timberwolves Associate Head Coach after a long stint on the coaching staff with the Portland Trailblazers. He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.
DAY 53Â (September 13)
Tom Stith, shown here wearing his 1960 NIT letter jacket, helped make St. Bonaventure basketball a household commodity. Stith led St. Bonaventure to a 65-12 record over his three seasons ('58-61), three consecutive 20-win campaigns, two consecutive NIT appearances and the first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in 1961. He was First Team All-American his junior and senior years.
DAY 52Â (September 14)
A player on some of the Bonaventure powerhouse teams of the late 1970s, Jim Baron returned to his alma mater as head coach during the 1990s and returned the program to prominence in the Atlantic 10. Seen here during a timeout at the 2000 Atlantic 10 Tournament, Baron guided the Bonnies to the NCAA Tournament that year as well as NIT bids in 1995, ’98 and 2001. He would win 132 games in nine seasons as head coach at SBU.
DAY 51Â (September 15)
Bob Lanier dominated Seton Hall in breaking his own school record of 50 points set earlier during the 1969-70 season. Lanier’s 51 points on February 24, 1969, still stand as the Reilly Center record by any player. ‘The Big Cat’ also pulled down a record 27 rebounds at the RC on December 22, 1967, which is a record that still stands today, and his 51 and 50-point nights still stand as the program’s top two single-game point totals. The Detroit Pistons drafted Lanier first overall in the 1970 NBA Draft, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 after a storied professional career.
Check back each day as we continue our 100 Years, 100 Days Countdown To Tip Off! Continue to the next set of days | Return to #Bonnies100 site
