Bonnies in search of first A-10 win at Rhode Island
Jan. 17, 2008
GAME DAY CENTRAL
DATE: Jan. 19, 2008
TIP-OFF: 2:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Kingston, R.I.
ARENA: Ryan Center
CAPACITY: 7,657
LIVE STATS: www.GoBonnies.com
SERIES: Rhode Island leads, 21-19
LAST MEETING: W, 64-57 (2/22/07)
UP NEXT: Wednesday, Jan. 23
vs. Fordham (0-17, 0-2)
AT A GLANCE
St. Bonaventure remains on the road
for the 12th time in its last 13 games in
search of the club's first Atlantic 10 win
of the season this afternoon at Rhode
Island. Following losses in three of
their last four outings, the Bonnies
will look to rekindle the early season
success that saw the Brown and White
notch a 11-2 beginning with an NCAAleading
eight true road triumphs to
start the 2007-08 campaign. Rhode
Island enters today's game with a 7-10
mark, including four straight losses by
an average of 21 points per contest.
SERIES HISTORY
Today's matchup will be the 41st meeting
between the two conference rivals
with the Rams holding a slight 21-19
all-time advantage over the Brown and
White. Before last season's 64-57 victory
at the Reilly Center, Rhode Island
registered eight consecutive wins over
the Bonnies by an average of 12 points
per meeting. Bona has not been victorious
in Kingston since a 68-59 triumph
on January 31, 1999.
THIS DAY IN BONA BASKETBALL
The Bonnies are 3-3 all-time when
playing on January 19 dating back to
the first season with actual dates in
the program record books (1986-87).
St. Bonaventure has dropped two
straight on this date prior to picking
up three out of four wins, most
recently in the 1994-95 campaign vs.
former Atlantic 10 affiliate Rutgers.
HEAD COACHING MATCHUP
ST. BONAVENTURE HEAD COACH
Jim Crowley
@ St. Bonaventure: 81-134 (8th)
Overall: 120-172 (11th )
Vs. Rhode Island: 3-8
RHODE ISLAND HEAD COACH
Tom Garrick
@ Rhode Island: 40-83 (5th)
Overall: Same
Vs. St. Bonaventure: 3-1
Scouting the Rams
Rhode Island enters this afternoon's contest with a 7-10 mark
with losses in seven of its last 10 games, including four in a
row heading into today's battle with the Bonnies. Following
a narrow defeat to nationally ranked George Washington at
the Ryan Center on Wednesday night, the Rams are paced
on the offensive end by preseason Atlantic 10 Second Team
selection Safi Mojidi. The senior guard is the club's only
player in double digits with a team-high 12.4 points per
contest and has led the Rams in scoring six times. During
the non-conference portion of the season, the Rams shared
three common opponents with the Brown and White as both
teams dropped decisions to nationally ranked West Virginia,
while both teams defeated Kent State. However, Rhody fell
at Canisius while the Bonnies were victorious over their local
rivals from Buffalo. Rhode Island owns an even 4-4 mark
at home this season, but have dropped three of four at the
Ryan Center. The Rams are 7-1 in 2007-08 when allowing
opponents fewer than 60 points.
Last Time Out: Brown and White fall at Temple, 73-62
Temple survived a furious Brown and White rally early in
the second stanza to pick up a 73-62 victory over the St.
Bonaventure women's basketball team on Tuesday evening
at the Liacouras Center. With the loss the Bonnies dropped
their third game in the last four contests to fall to 12-5 (0-2)
on the season. For the second straight game, junior Katelyn
Murray paced three Bonnies in double figures with 14
points, including an additional two three-pointers to push
her into sixth place in the all-time Bona record books with
114 triples. Sophomore Andrea Doneth registered her sixth
contest of at least 10 points with 13 tallies, while fellow classmate
Dana Mitchell kept her 17-game double digit streak
intact with 10 points on just 3-of-8 shooting from the floor.
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. 18, the Bonnies' eight victories on
opponent's home floors were tied for tops in the nation.
Around the National Scene
As of January 18, the Brown and White were one of only 71
teams in Division I women's basketball (339 total) with at
least 12 victories in the win column. St. Bonaventure's 12
triumphs are tied for the sixth most throughout the nation
heading into today's conference contest at Rhode Island.
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. 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 17
games as her 19.7 points per contest is the highest among
all A-10 players. Mitchell ranks 13th in the nation in scoring
and is third among second-year players.
Double Trouble
The scoring surge over the last nine games from junior
Katelyn Murray along with the guaranteed double digit effort
from sophomore Dana Mitchell place the two atop the
Brown and White stat sheet with 19.7 and 10.7 points per
game, respectively. The dynamic duo has reached double
figures a combined 26 times with 11 games of at least 20
points. Through 17 games, Mitchell and Murray are the
third highest scoring combination in the Atlantic 10 at 30.4
points per game. The Bona combo only trails the Kate Mills/
Pam Rosanio (32.3) duo from Massachusetts and the Theresa
Lisch/Katie Paganelli duo (31.9) from Saint Louis.
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
years combined. The Bona women posted nine triumphs in
each season from 2003-2006.
Bonnies in the National Rankings
St. Bonaventure's 12-5 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's profile 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 47 collegiate contests. The reigning
Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team selection has led the Brown and
White in scoring in every game this season but four, while
ranking first in the league with 19.7 points per game. Since
her arrival on campus, Mitchell has paced her club in scoring
26 times.
Records on the Road
Following 17 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 edition
by defeating Florida Atlantic, Colgate, Canisius, Fairleigh
Dickinson, IPFW and Binghamton in a row. The Bonnies also
recently broke the school record for most true road wins in a
season with eight. As the Brown and White return to the road
for A-10 action at Rhode Island, Bona only needs two more
wins to tie the program mark for the most single-season wins
away from the Reilly Center with 11.
Halftime Lead = Victory
The Bonnies are 21-1 dating back to last season when owning
an advantage heading into intermission. St. Bonaventure
suffered its first defeat after leading at the break against Saint
Joseph's on Saturday, Jan. 12 on Bob Lanier Court.
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.
For Starters
In the Bonnies first 17 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 16
games for the Brown and White in the club's 12-5 beginning.
Junior Ashley Edwards was inserted into the lineup for one
game when Johnson was out with an injury.
Missing Pieces
The Bonnies' 12-5 beginning to their 2007-08 campaign is
even more impressive after looking at the team's injury report.
Through the first 17 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 eight 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 began when
three-year starter Priscilla Edwards was sent to the shelf with a
season-ending shoulder injury.
Board Watch
After missing 10 games earlier this season due to various
injuries, junior Ashley Edwards is back in action on the floor as
well as on the Bona all-time rebounding charts. The 5-11 junior
from Philadelphia recently passed former Brown and White
head coach Marti Whitmore and moved into 20th place in the
program record books with 449 career rebounds. Despite
battling multiple ailments throughout her Bonaventure basketball
career, Edwards holds a career average of 6.3 boards per
game and is only five caroms shy of surpassing 19th place Angela
Scott's total of 454. Sue Shay carries the all-time rebounding
distinction after hauling down 952 career caroms throughout
her four-year career.
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 17 contests of her
second year, Mitchell has posted 17 straight double figure scoring
efforts, including eight 20-plus point performances (1st in the A-10),
one 30-plus point effort (1-of-6) as well as three double-doubles
(t-4th in the A-10). The super sophomore leads the conference in
scoring with 19.7 points per game, while ranking third in free throw
(.811) and ninth in field goal percentage (.509). She has also proved
to be a presence on the boards, hauling down 5.9 (18th in the A-10)
caroms per contest for second place on the Brown and White.
Double Digit Streak
With 17 straight double figure scoring efforts to begin the season, sophomore
Dana Mitchell has tallied 18 consecutive and 38 of her last 43 games with at least
10 points. The Fairless Hills, Pa. product currently owns the Atlantic 10 lead with
eight 20-point games this season.
Little Giant
In her first season in the Brown and White, junior Tiara Johnson has excelled in
her initial 16 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 16 games, Johnson leads St.
Bonaventure in rebounding from the point guard position with 6.5 caroms per
contest. The 5-9 junior has hauled down at least seven rebounds on eight occasions,
including a season-high 16 boards at Florida Atlantic that matched the sixth
best single-game rebounding performance in program history. Johnson has also
provided a spark in the backcourt as she sits second on the club with 3.2 assists
per contest with a career-high eight helpers vs. Niagara.
Close Contests
With 17 games into the 2007-08 season, the Bonnies own a 9-2 mark in games
decided by 10 points or less. The Brown and White recorded six wins in the same
category during all of last year.
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.
Long Range Production
Thanks to the hot shooting from junior Katelyn Murray, the Brown and White rank
first in the Atlantic 10 and 20th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage.
With 17 games in the books, the Bonnies have connected from behind the arc at
a rate of 38.5 percent. Murray leads the team with 31 trifectas on the season and
ranks tied for fifth in the A-10 with a 42.2 conversion rate from three-point land.
Following 75 games in a Bona uniform, the Harrisburg, Pa. product ranks sixth
all-time with 116 career three-pointers and recently passed 2006 Bona graduate
Audrey Latendresse. Murray is only one triple shy of moving into the fifth spot on
the trifecta record book currently occupied by Tricia Pawling. Suzie Dailer holds
the all-time mark for most three-pointers in school history with 291.
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 17 games, St. Bonaventure has given up the ball just over 15 times per
game that ranks third in the Atlantic 10 and 34th 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 17 games into the 2007-08 season, three 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 728 tallies next to her name. Junior Katelyn Murray
eclipsed 500 points at Colgate and pushed her career total to 609 tallies after three
20-plus point games this season. Fellow classmate Ashley Edwards recently passed
500 points in her hometown of Philadelphia against Temple and now owns 508
points.
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.
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.
