Jan. 11, 2008

Complete Game Notes 

GAME DAY CENTRAL
DATE: Jan. 12, 2008
TIP-OFF: 4:30 p.m.
LOCATION: St. Bonaventure, N.Y.
PLAYING SURFACE: Bob Lanier Court
ARENA: Reilly Center
CAPACITY: 5,780
WEB RADIO: www.GoBonnies.com
TALENT: Jeff Landers (play-by-play)
WEB VIDEO: www.GoBonnies.com
SERIES: Saint Joseph's leads, 34-6
LAST MEETING: L, 76-67 (2/15/07)

SERIES HISTORY
Today's matchup will be the 41st meeting between the two conference rivals with the Hawks holding a commanding 34-6 all-time advantage over the Brown and White. Following three consecutive defeats to Saint Joseph's, the Bonnies will look to pick up their first win over the Hawks since a 74-72 triumph in Philadelphia on Jan. 7, 2005.

THIS DAY IN BONA BASKETBALL
The Bonnies are 2-4 all-time when playing on January 12 dating back to the first season with actual dates in the program record books (1986-87). St. Bonaventure last played on this date in the 2006-07 campaign against Temple, falling 73-55 at the Reilly Center.

HEAD COACHING MATCHUP ST. BONAVENTURE HEAD COACH
Jim Crowley @ St. Bonaventure: 81-132 (8th) Overall: 120-170 (11th ) Vs. Saint Joseph's: 2-9

SAINT JOSEPH'S HEAD COACH
Cindy Griffin @ Saint Joseph's: 119-85 (7th) Overall: 167-118 (10th) Vs. St. Bonaventure: 9-2

Scouting the Hawks
Saint Joseph's enters this afternoon's contest with an 8-7 mark after three wins in its last four contests. The Hawks are led by freshman center Sarah Acker, who leads the club in scoring (11.6), rebounding (7.9) and blocks (20) in her first season on Hawk Hill. The Nanticoke, Pa. product's .565 conversion rate from the field ranks third in the Atlantic 10 and her promising play in the non-conference portion of the schedule earned her an A-10 Rookie of the Week honor earlier this season. Acker is joined in double digits by senior guard Timisha Gomez, who produces 10.6 points per game through 14 contests. Saint Joseph's owns a 5-4 record away from Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse, including an 81-75 win at Akron in its most recent outing. In her seventh season in charge, head coach Cindy Griffin holds a 119-83 mark at the school.

Last Time Out: Mitchell's career night propels Bonnies by Cornell
Sophomore Dana Mitchell exploded for 27 of her careerhigh 34 points in the second session as the St. Bonaventure women's basketball team notched a 69-61 victory over Cornell on Friday, Jan. 4 at Newman Arena. Mitchell connected on 12-of-20 shots from the floor as well as 10-of-13 shots from the stripe en route to matching the sixth highest singlegame scoring performance in school history last reached by Chris Agresta in 1986. Junior classmates Ashley Edwards and Katelyn Murray joined Mitchell in double digits with 14 and 10 points, respectively. The Bonnies converted a season-high 48.0 percent (24-50) from the field vs. the Big Red, including a blistering 58.3 percent clip in the final 20 minutes.

ATLANTIC 10 OPENERS
Since their arrival in the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Bonnies have posted a 5-16 all-time mark in league openers. The Brown and White most recently began the conference season 1-0 in 2002-03 with an 80-63 opening win over Fordham.

Atlantic 10 Accolades
Following her 28 point and 10 rebound performance against Binghamton on Saturday, Dec. 29, sophomore forward Dana Mitchell was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week. The honor was Mitchell's first after garnering four Rookie of the Week awards as a freshman. The Fairless Hills, Pa. product was also named MVP of the St. Bona Shootout as well as earning All-Tournament honors at the Florida Atlantic Holiday Classic earlier this season.

ROAD WARRIORS
Although the Bonnies were treated to a brand new home playing surface named after St. Bonaventure legend Bob Lanier, the Brown and White have no complaints regarding their heavy road schedule. Head coach Jim Crowley has directed his team to eight true road wins and nine triumphs away from the Reilly Center. As of Jan. 11, the Bonnies' eight victories on opponent's home floors were tops in the nation.

Season of Streaks
After opening the 2007-08 season with five straight wins, the Brown and White picked up their second win streak of at least five wins with six victories in a row before falling at Syracuse. The longest win streak in program history stands at seven games and was most recently reached in 1979-80 on two different occasions.

Around the National Scene
As of January 11, the Brown and White were one of only 93 teams in Division I women's basketball (339 total) with double digits in the win column. St. Bonaventure's 12 victories were tied for the fifth most throughout the nation heading into today's conference contest vs. Saint Joseph's.

Dipping into Double Digits
With a win at IPFW, the Bonnies became the 20th team in school history to post double figure wins and the first to reach 10-plus wins in back-to-back seasons since the 1998-99 and 1999-00 clubs each posted ten wins in consecutive seasons. St. Bonaventure also became the fastest team in the program record books to 10 wins, breaking last season's January 2 date by 11 days. Under head coach Jim Crowley, the Brown and White have surpassed 10 wins on two previous occasions, including last season's 16 victories that sit second all-time in single-season wins.

Best Beginning in the Books
With a 10-2 start to the season, the Bonnies established the best start in school history through 12 contests previously held by the 1992-93 editions' 9-3 beginning. Following seven wins in their last eight outings, the 2007-08 Bonnies hold an identical 12-3 record as the 1979-80 Brown and White club who finished 16-5. The Bonnies next victory will make them just the 13th team in program history with at least 13 wins.

Leading the League
Sophomore sensation Dana Mitchell continues her scoring surge and sits atop the Atlantic 10 scoring chart through 15 games as her 20.5 points per contest is the highest among all A-10 players. Mitchell ranks 11th in the nation in scoring and is first among second-year players.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
After three official games have been played on Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center, the St. Bonaventure women's basketball team possesses an undefeated 3-0 record on the fresh new playing surface named after the St. Bonaventure basketball legend. The Bonnies return home for their first game on the Bona campus in 52 days after cruising to a 76-57 victory over Niagara on November 20. Bona also owns home wins over Albany and Bucknell. With a win this afternoon, the Brown and White will become the fourth team in school history to win their first four home contests. The 1983-84 edition of the Bonnies hold the all-time mark with a 6-0 start at home.

Bonnies in the National Rankings
St. Bonaventure's 12-3 start to the 2007-08 season hasn't gone unnoticed as numerous national outlets have ranked the Bonnies among the top 100 teams in the country. The club's eight true road victories and nine overall wins away from Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center has helped boost the Brown and White up the charts.

First in the Books
In just her second season with the Bonnies, sophomore Dana Mitchell has showed a penchant for putting the ball through the basket in her first 45 collegiate contests. The reigning Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team selection has led the Brown and White in scoring in every game this season but two times, while ranking first in the league with 20.5 points per game. Since her arrival on campus, Mitchell has paced her club in scoring 26 times.

Records on the Road
Following 15 games of St. Bonaventure's 2007-08 campaign, the Bonnies matched one feat accomplished by last season's 16-15 club, while surpassing another mark with a win at Cornell. With six consecutive victories away from the Reilly Center, the Bonnies tied the mark set by last season's club. The Bonnies also recently broke the school record for most away wins in a season with eight at Cornell.

Out of Conference Success
Dating back to last season's six-game win streak to conclude the non-conference slate, the Bonnies have notched 16 victories in their last 19 games outside of the Atlantic 10, including five in a row at the Reilly Center. St. Bonaventure also is 16-6 in its last 22 non-conference contests away from home.

Atop the A-10
Following the official start to the college basketball season, the Bonnies own one of the best starts among Atlantic 10 Conference affiliates. St. Bonaventure is one of only four teams in the league with double digit victories and was the last school in the conference to suffer their second defeat.

Back to Business
Including last season's program-tying 16 wins, the Brown and White's 28 victories in the last season and a half are more than the program's 27 total wins in the previous three seasons combined. The Bona women posted nine triumphs in each season from 2003-2006.

For Starters
In the Bonnies first 15 games of the season, head coach Jim Crowley has sent out the same starting five for the opening tip in every contest but one. The combination of juniors Tiara Johnson, Katelyn Murray and Erica Schiefen as well as sophomores Andrea Doneth and Dana Mitchell have started 14 games for the Brown and White in the club's 12-3 beginning. Junior Ashley Edwards was inserted into the lineup for one game when Johnson was out with an injury.

Missing Pieces
The Bonnies' 12-3 beginning to their 2007-08 campaign is even more impressive when looking at the team's injury report. Through the first 15 games of the season, three integral parts to the club's early season success have missed at least one game due to injury. Junior Ashley Edwards tops the list with 10 absences due to numerous back and ankle ailments. Freshman guard Armelia Horton has missed six contests in her first season, while junior point guard Tiara Johnson didn't dress at Fairleigh Dickinson. However, the Brown and White suffered their biggest setback before the season even started when three-year starter Priscilla Edwards was put on the shelf with a season-ending shoulder injury.

LEADER OF THE PACK
After turning in one of the finest freshman seasons in program history, sophomore Dana Mitchell has picked up where she left off with the beginning of the 2007-08 season. In her first 15 contests of her second year, Mitchell has posted 15 straight double figure scoring efforts, including eight 20-plus point performances (1st in the A-10), one 30-plus point effort (1-of-5) as well as three double-doubles (t-4th in the A-10). The super sophomore leads the conference in scoring with 20.5 points per game, while ranking third in free throw (.825) and ninth in field goal percentage (.519). She has also proved to be a presence on the boards, hauling down 6.5 (15th in the A-10) caroms per contest for second place on the Brown and White.

Jack of All Trades
In her first season in the Brown and White, junior Tiara Johnson has excelled in her initial 14 Division I contests as a do-it-all quarterback for the Bonnies. In the absence of three-year starter Priscilla Edwards, Johnson has flashed the same attributes she displayed in the junior college ranks that attracted the Bonnies to the North Central Missouri State product. Through 14 games, Johnson ranks second on the team in assists (48), first in rebounds (101), fourth in steals (12) and fifth in points (75). To display her versatility, Johnson pulled down 16 boards to tie the eighth best rebounding effort in school history at Florida Atlantic. Stat keepers beware, the Kansas City native will keep you busy throughout game.

Halftime Lead = Victory
The Bonnies are 21-0 dating back to last season when owning an advantage heading into intermission.

Close Contests
With 15 games into the 2007-08 season, the Bonnies have already posted nine victories in game's decided by 10 points or less. The Brown and White recorded six wins in the same category during all of last year.

The Season of Winning
After posting a 6-1 mark in the month of December during last season's record setting season, the Brown and White posted a 6-2 record this holiday season. Although the Bonnies opened the month with a loss to nationally ranked West Virginia, the club responded with consecutive victories at Florida Atlantic, Colgate, Canisius, Fairleigh Dickinson, IPFW and Binghamton before falling to Syracuse.

Long Range Production
Thanks to the shooting from junior Katelyn Murray, the Brown and White rank first in the Atlantic 10 and 26th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage. With 15 games in the books, the Bonnies have connected from behind the arc at a rate of 37.8 percent. Murray leads the team with 25 trifectas on the season and ranks third in the A-10 with a 43.1 conversion rate from three-point land. In her first season with the Bonnies, freshman Cara Gustafson has drained 52.4 percent of her triples while shooting 11-21 from beyond the three-point line. Junior Erica Schiefen and sophomore Andrea Doneth have also chipped in from three-point land with 17 and 11 trifectas, respectively.

Taking Care of the Rock
Although the Bonnies are in the midst of the holiday season, the Brown and White have refused to follow the Christmas adage that "it's better to give than receive." Through 15 games, St. Bonaventure has given up the ball just over 15 times per game that ranks third in the Atlantic 10 and 36th in the nation. The Bonnies own a 6-2 mark when having fewer turnovers than their opponent. Sophomore Andrea Doneth and junior Tiara Johnson are big reasons for the low number of giveaways as both rank in the top 15 in the conference in assist/turnover ratio.

500-Point Club
Just 15 games into the 2007-08 season, two members of the Brown and White have already surpassed the 500-point mark in their careers. Earlier this season at Bowling Green, sophomore Dana Mitchell shattered the mark in just her 36th collegiate contest and currently has 700 tallies next to her name. Junior Katelyn Murray eclipsed 500 points at Colgate and pushed her career total to 573 tallies after two 20-plus point games at Canisius and IPFW. Fellow classmate Ashley Edwards is next in line as she is just 5 points shy of 500. Edwards has only played in five games this season due to various injuries throughout the beginning of the year.

Double Digit Streak
With 15 straight double figure scoring efforts to begin the season, sophomore Dana Mitchell has tallied 16 consecutive and 36 of her last 41 games with at least 10 points. The Fairless Hills, Pa. product currently owns the Atlantic 10 lead with eight 20-point games this season.

Interstate Rivalry
Following victories over Albany, Binghamton (twice), Niagara, Colgate, Canisius and Cornell the Bonnies hold a 7-1 mark against schools from New York State. The Bonnies will play one more contest against teams from their home state in the battle for Empire State supremacy. While suffering their first in state defeat at Syracuse, the Brown and White can push their New York State win total to eight when Atlantic 10 foe Fordham visits Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center on Wednesday, Jan. 23.