logo
Weather page
GET THE APP
ePaper
google_play
app_store
  • Login
  • E-Edition
  • News
  • Sports
  • Obits
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • All Listings
    • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contests
  • Lifestyle/Entertainment
  • Games
    • News
      • Local News
      • PA State News
      • Nation/World
    • Sports
      • Local
      • College Sports
      • State
      • National
    • Obits
    • Opinion
      • News
        • Local News
        • PA State News
        • Nation/World
      • Sports
        • Local
        • College Sports
        • State
        • National
      • Obits
      • Opinion
    logo
    • Classifieds
      • Place an Ad
      • All Listings
      • Jobs
    • E-Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Login
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • All Listings
        • Jobs
      • E-Edition
      • Subscribe
      • Login
    Home Sports Bonnies could clinch A-10 by this afternoon
    Bonnies could clinch A-10 by this afternoon
    Basketball, College Sports, Local Sports, Sports
    CHUCK POLLOCK Special to The Era  
    February 27, 2021

    Bonnies could clinch A-10 by this afternoon

    ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — It didn’t figure to be much of a game … and, of course, it wasn’t.

    Still, it could have been a disaster for the St. Bonaventure basketball team. Instead it became the most-one-sided conference victory of its 42 seasons in the Atlantic 10/Eastern 8.

    The Bonnies, locked in a critical race with Virginia Commonwealth for the No. 1 seed in next week’s Atlantic 10 Conference championships, were supposed to play George Washington in early January at the Reilly Center … until Covid-19 intervened.

    That game was rescheduled for last night at a fan-less RC, but with plenty at stake.

    The Bonnies, tied with VCU at 10-3 atop the A-10 standings, had just come off home-and-home victories over conference contender Davidson, in a span of three days. Now it was looking at hosting an Atlantic 10 enigma, Dayton, to end the regular season Monday night.

    In between, though, was the storied “trap” or “donut” game — pick your adjective — against the Colonials, a team destined to play in the A-10’s first round, pitting the four lowest-seeded teams in the standings, on Wednesday in Richmond,

    HOWEVER, the Bonnies (11-3, 13-3) were anything but complacent last night. They improved to 8-0 at home this season with an emphatic, record-setting 88-41 victory over the struggling Colonials (4-11, 3-5), who unmercifully ended their fractured campaign which included a five-week coronavirus-induced hiatus.

    And, suddenly, as soon as this afternoon, St. Bonaventure could claim its first-ever outright conference title, a relationship that began in the 1979-80 season. If VCU (10-3) loses at Davidson (6-4) today (ESPNU-TV, 2 o’clock), the Bonnies clinch, no matter what happens Monday night at the RC against Dayton (8-7).

    Bona had already claimed a bye into the conference quarterfinals and if it finishes as the A-10’s No. 1 seed, it will play Friday at 11 a.m. at either the Robbins (Richmond) or Siegel (VCU) Center against the winner of Thursday’s second-round game between the No. 8 and 9 seeds.

    As it’s turned out, in this bizarre, jumbled-schedule season, the Bonnies weren’t penalized for losing 12 games (9 non-conference, 3 A-10) to the pandemic and, indeed, seem to be playing their very best basketball at the optimum time.

    AFTERWARD, when asked about his team’s performance being the anthesis of looking past an opponent, coach Mark Schmidt pointed out, “We’ve got experienced guys, mature guys that understand how to win and what it takes to be successful. You can’t overlook anybody … you respect everybody and play as well as you can. They understand what’s at stake.

    “Our guys were focused … (showing) physical and mental toughness. I was really proud of their effort and their mindset. Coming off two big wins, it could be a letdown, we only had one day to prepare, but our guys really responded. It wasn’t me in the huddle, it was (the players saying), ‘No letdown, no letdown.’”

    And despite the Colonials’ abbreviated schedule, four of their losses were by five points or fewer.

    “We knew GW had good players … they had beaten Rhode Island (by eight) and had a close game against George Mason (5-point road loss),” Schmidt said. “But our guys were in tune with what they needed to do. We can’t forget how we got here … we (did it) by defending (giving up a season-low in points) and rebounding (owning the boards 35-23).

    “We had four games left and before the first Davidson game our goal was to be 1-0, the second game, 2-0, and today the most important two hours was from (6-8 p.m.) … we wanted to be 3-0 (at 8 o’clock). We did that, and all the credit goes to those guys, they couldn’t have played better.”

    He also pointed out, “We’ve been focused all year, we can’t worry about anybody else, you’ve just got to take care of your business … if you (do) everything’s fine. We control our own destiny.”

    Although this afternoon, Davidson has the first shot at clinching it.

    (Chuck Pollock, a Times Herald senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)

    Tags:

    conference davidson game mark schmidt seed sport team victory

    The Bradford Era

    Local & Social
    Latest news for you
    Historic disaster site named Pennsylvania’s 2025 Trail of the Year
    Historic disaster site named Pennsylvania’s 2025 Trail of the Year
    By KURT BRESSWEIN The Express-Times 
    June 11, 2025
    EASTON (TNS) — Pennsylvania’s 2025 Trail of the Year blends natural beauty and outdoor recreation with deep — and tragic — historical significance. Th...
    Read More...
    {"to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    Sunday hunting bill passes Pa. House
    Local News, News, Outdoors, ...
    Sunday hunting bill passes Pa. House
    June 11, 2025
    HARRISBURG — Legislation that would fully repeal Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunting ban passed the state House of Representatives Wednesday and now heads t...
    Read More...
    {"to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    Beautiful but invasive
    Local News
    Beautiful but invasive
    June 11, 2025
    A yellow iris soaks up the morning dew in wetlands at Allegany State Park in Salamanca, N.Y. While beautiful, the yellow iris an invasive species that...
    Read More...
    {"to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    Low strawberry glow
    Local News
    Low strawberry glow
    June 11, 2025
    Bradford resident Devin Grice sent us this shot he took of the strawberry moon Tuesday evening. June's full moon is termed the strawberry moon after t...
    Read More...
    {"to-print":"To print", "bradfordera-website":"Website"}
    Massively popular theme park closes iconic attractions, and fans aren’t happy
    Nation & World
    Massively popular theme park closes iconic attractions, and fans aren’t happy
    June 11, 2025
    (TNS) — A massively popular theme park has announced the closure of some of its most iconic attractions. Yes — Disney World is shuttering said attract...
    Read More...
    Crude supply outweighing demand
    Local News
    Crude supply outweighing demand
    Sara Furlong s.furlong@bradfordera.com 
    June 11, 2025
    Gas prices decreased everywhere this week, if only barely in Bradford and Warren. The biggest drop was seen regionally, as average prices shed 5.3 cen...
    Read More...
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    This Week's Ads
    Current e-Edition
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Already a subscriber? Click the image to view the latest e-edition.
    Don't have a subscription? Click here to see our subscription options.
    Mobile App

    Download Now

    The Bradford Era mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the Bradford Era on your mobile device just as it appears in print.

    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Trending Recipes

    Help Our Community

    Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. None of the responses will be shared or used for any other purpose except to better serve our community. The survey is at: www.pulsepoll.com $1,000 is being awarded. Everyone completing the survey will be able to enter a contest to Win as our way of saying, "Thank You" for your time. Thank You!

    Get in touch with The Bradford Era
    Submit Content
    • Submit News
    • Letter to the Editor
    • Place Wedding Announcement
      • Submit News
      • Letter to the Editor
      • Place Wedding Announcement
    Advertise
    • Place Birth Announcement
    • Place Anniversary Announcement
    • Place Obituary Call (814) 368-3173
      • Place Birth Announcement
      • Place Anniversary Announcement
      • Place Obituary Call (814) 368-3173
    Subscribe
    • Start a Subscription
    • e-Edition
    • Contact Us
      • Start a Subscription
      • e-Edition
      • Contact Us
    CMG | Community Media Group
    Illinois
    • Hancock Journal-Pilot
    • Iroquois Times-Republic
    • Journal-Republican
    • The News-Gazette
      • Hancock Journal-Pilot
      • Iroquois Times-Republic
      • Journal-Republican
      • The News-Gazette
    Indiana
    • Fountain Co. Neighbor
    • Herald Journal
    • KV Post News
    • Newton Co. Enterprise
    • Rensselaer Republican
    • Review-Republican
      • Fountain Co. Neighbor
      • Herald Journal
      • KV Post News
      • Newton Co. Enterprise
      • Rensselaer Republican
      • Review-Republican
    Iowa
    • Atlantic News Telegraph
    • Audubon Advocate-Journal
    • Barr’s Post Card News
    • Burlington Hawk Eye
    • Collector’s Journal
    • Fayette County Union
    • Ft. Madison Daily Democrat
    • Independence Bulletin-Journal
    • Keokuk Daily Gate City
    • Oelwein Daily Register
    • Vinton Newspapers
    • Waverly Newspapers
      • Atlantic News Telegraph
      • Audubon Advocate-Journal
      • Barr’s Post Card News
      • Burlington Hawk Eye
      • Collector’s Journal
      • Fayette County Union
      • Ft. Madison Daily Democrat
      • Independence Bulletin-Journal
      • Keokuk Daily Gate City
      • Oelwein Daily Register
      • Vinton Newspapers
      • Waverly Newspapers
    Michigan
    • Iosco County News-Herald
    • Ludington Daily News
    • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
    • Oscoda Press
    • White Lake Beacon
      • Iosco County News-Herald
      • Ludington Daily News
      • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
      • Oscoda Press
      • White Lake Beacon
    New York
    • Finger Lakes Times
    • Olean Times Herald
    • Salamanca Press
      • Finger Lakes Times
      • Olean Times Herald
      • Salamanca Press
    Pennsylvania
    • Bradford Era
    • Clearfield Progress
    • Courier Express
    • Free Press Courier
    • Jeffersonian Democrat
    • Leader Vindicator
    • Potter Leader-Enterprise
    • The Wellsboro Gazette
      • Bradford Era
      • Clearfield Progress
      • Courier Express
      • Free Press Courier
      • Jeffersonian Democrat
      • Leader Vindicator
      • Potter Leader-Enterprise
      • The Wellsboro Gazette
    © Copyright The Bradford Era 43 Main St, Bradford, PA  | Terms of Use  | Privacy Policy
    Powered by TECNAVIA