Bonnies set for season-opener against Cleveland State

COMPLETE GAME NOTES

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
ST. BONAVENTURE (15-15) vs. CLEVELAND STATE (26-11)
DATE: Friday, November 13, 2009
SITE: Reilly Center (5,780)
COURT: Bob Lanier Court
TIP-OFF: 7:00 p.m.
RADIO: WPIG (95.7 FM) & WHDL (1450 AM) - Olean
TALENT: Gary Nease (Play-by-Play)
Dr. John Watson (Color)
WEB AUDIO & VIDEO: www.GOBONNIES.com
SERIES: St. Bonaventure leads, 4-1
LAST MEETING: January 28, 2003
St. Bonaventure 81, Cleveland St. 67
(Box Score - Pg. 2 - Game Forfeited)
UP NEXT: vs. St. John's
Tuesday, Nov. 17 @ 7 p.m. (Blue Cross Arena)

AT A GLANCE
The 2009-10 season will officially get underway on Friday for St. Bonaventure when it welcomes defending Horizon League Tournament champion Cleveland State to the Reilly Center. The Bonnies will look to improve on their 75-14 all-time record in season openers. The Brown are an even more impressive 40-3 in home openers at the Reilly Center since it opened in 1966. St. Bonaventure has opened up the season on the road or on a neutral surface just 10 times in the last 46 years. Head coach Mark Schmidt is 2-0 in home openers at St. Bonaventure, winning the two games by an average of 13.5 points.

SERIES HISTORY
St. Bonaventure has won all five of the meetings between the two clubs, but it's most recent win in 2003 was forfeited. The Bonnies are 2-1 all-time against the Vikings at the Reilly Center. The series began in 1976, but took a 23-year hiatus until the two teams played four straight seasons (1999-03).

THIS DAY IN BONA BASKETBALL
Today's game is the earliest game in program history. St. Bonaventure has never played a game on November 13, but is 2-0 all-time on November 14 - the earliest games played in program history.

VS. THE HORIZON LEAGUE
St. Bonaventure is 23-23 all-time against Horizon League opponents. Over half of the Brown and White's games against the Horizon League have come against Detroit. Last season snapped a string of three consecutive years the Bonnies had squared off against a Horizon League opponent. The most recent series came against Wright State from 2006-08.

SCOUTING THE VIKINGS
Fresh off posting the program's second straight 20-win season for the first time since the late 1980's, Cleveland State welcomes eight new faces into the fold this season. Led by fourth-year head coach Gary Waters, the Vikings posted a 26-11 overall record in 2008-09, winning the Horizon League Tournament title and defeating nationally-ranked Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Just two starters return from last year's club, highlighted by preseason Horizon League All-Conference first team choice Norris Cole. The junior guard averaged 13.3 points per game last season good for sixth in the Horizon League. Cole set a school record by starting all 37 games in 2008-09 and averaged 19.5 points over the two NCAA Tournament contests. Despite losing 57 percent of its scoring and 64 percent of its rebounding, Cleveland State was predicted to finish third in the Horizon League and received a pair of first place votes.

HEAD COACHING MATCHUP
ST. BONAVENTURE HEAD COACH
Mark Schmidt
@ St. Bonaventure: 23-37 (2nd Season)
Overall: 105-127 (9th Season)
Atlantic 10: 8-24 (2nd Season)
vs. Cleveland State: First Meeting

CLEVELAND STATE HEAD COACH
Gary Waters
@ Cleveland State: 57-45 (4th Season)
Overall: 228-180 (14th Season)
vs. St. Bonaventure: 3-1

PRESEASON HONORS
Sophomore ANDREW NICHOLSON'S Rookie of the Year campaign in 2008-09 earned the respect of the A-10's head coach, as the 6-foot-9 forward was named to the preseason All-Conference second team and All-Defensive team. Nicholson was the only player to be named to multiple teams and is just one of three underclassmen on the three preseason teams.

NICHOLSON LEADS BONNIES OVER MANSFIELD
Behind a game-high 29 points and eight rebounds from sophomore forward ANDREW NICHOLSON, the St. Bonaventure held off a feisty Mansfield club for a 82-74 wire-to-wire exhibition win on Friday evening at the Reilly Center. Nicholson finished 10-of-12 from the field, highlighted by four dunks, and went 9-of-10 from the free throw line. Senior JONATHAN HALL chipped in with 16 points and six assists as the team’s only other double figure scorer. The duo combined for 45 of the team’s 82 points. The problems on the defensive end and on the boards came thanks to Nicholson’s counterpart Yuseff Carr, who was the story for Mansfield. The 6-foot-6, 286-lb. forward muscled his way to 19 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. For the game, St. Bonaventure shot a blistering 57 percent (27-47) from the floor and made 25-of-34 from the charity stripe. The Bonnies 21 assists came at the cost of 15 turnovers. Mansfield shot a modest 41 percent (27-66) for the game, but excelled on the glass, holding a 38-33 advantage. The Mountaineers were able to supplement their shooting percentage with 17 offensive rebounds, including seven from Carr.