After a five-point loss against a tough St. Louis team and a back-crushing, overtime buzzer-beating loss against La Salle, St. Bonaventure got back on track with a 63-49 win against Richmond.
The Bonnies (15-3, 2-2) needed a statement victory against the Spiders (7-11, 1-3) on Wednesday and they delivered. On the defensive side of the ball, they held Richmond to 37% from the field at 29.6% from 3. Similarly, they out-rebounded the Spiders by seven, which was a problem in their back-to-back losses. Offensively, they shot 45.7% from the field and 31.8% from 3.
Jonah Hinton, who is still filling in for the injured Dasonte Bowen, led the Bonnies in scoring with 19 points and knocked down five 3s. Chance Moore added 15 points, and Melvin Council Jr. added 14. Even though this was a different scoring output for the Bonnies, as only seven players played, their defense won them the game.
An important factor in the Bonnies’ success for the remainder of the season, especially since they are essentially out of contention for an at-large bid, is the return of Bowen. He excels at running the point and is also the team’s best perimeter defender, a critical need for this squad. While the team has managed a 6-2 record in his absence, they’ve shown some vulnerabilities in conference play. There is optimism around St. Bonaventure that Bowen could return for their matchup against Dayton on Jan. 28, providing a much-needed boost to their lineup.
