By SPENCER BATES
ST. BONAVENTURE — Down by as many as 15 points in the first half, the St. Bonaventure women’s basketball team rallied and scored a bounce-back win over Little 3 rival Niagara University.
After suffering a heavy loss at the hands of UAlbany just days before, the Bonnies were able to right the ship with a 76-68 comeback win thanks, once again, to their ability to adapt on the fly.
Throughout the first half, Bona found itself in a routine of fouling and struggled to break through Niagara’s defense. This was exactly the opposite of what coach Jim Crowley wanted to see against a physical Purple Eagles team that needed no extra time to rest.
But after halftime, his Bonnies flipped the script.
“We said it was going to be a fight, we just got to keep coming,” Crowley said. “In the first half, particularly in the second quarter, we were fouling a lot. We were a little late defensively and making some bad discipline decisions, and that gave (Niagara) a lot of time to make free throws and rest. We got a little lax in transition defense and on a chase. … Obviously the turnovers are what they are, but … if you look at the free throws in the second half, we totally flipped that. I thought that was the game. Instead of dribbling sideways, we started attacking the basket. We had multiple people help with the press. Obviously, Zoe (Shaw) did a great job, (Nadechka Laccen) did a great job, Dani (Haskell) helped with it … everybody was helpful in that.”
Dani Haskell led Bona with 18 points after starting on the bench and finished just shy of a double-double with a game-high nine rebounds. She was helped along by great efforts from Zoe Shaw, who tallied 17 points and five rebounds, and Nadechka Laccen who recorded 13 points and seven rebounds.
St. Bonaventure guard Nadechka Laccen (2) holds up play. Laccen had 13 points and seven rebounds in the Bonnies’ win. (St. Bonaventure Athletics)
Crowley gave credit to his guards for their dedication on the glass against a Niagara team that he knew was going to look to dominate that aspect of the game. In fact, the effort from the likes of Haskell, Shaw, Laccen and Gabby Robinson Forde led to the hosts acting as the dominant force in the rebounding department, roping in 50 rebounds compared to the Purple Eagles’ 33.
“I mean, Dani, Zoe, (Nadechka), all those guys did a great job going to get it,” Crowley said. “We presented a lot of opportunities because we defended. … I’d be remiss if I specifically didn’t mention Gabby’s defense. She, for the second game in a row, really did some very positive things. She guarded really well. (Marlie) Dickerson is a really good player … and I thought Gabby was really solid on her in the second half.”
According to Crowley, the halftime message was received before he had even opened his mouth. He noted that his players knew what they needed to do, which included attacking the basket and limiting the fouls.
“Stop fouling, stop dribbling and they knew it too,” Crowley said. “Turnovers are going to come and, what’s next? Play again. I thought, a simple play, late in the game, Gabby goes up here, we probably should have pulled it out, but she goes up, gets blocked, and she’s the one back there, knocking the pass away. That kind of reaction to negative plays is key. Those are the things that win you games.”
St. Bonaventure guard Mackenzie Pettinelli (1) looks for the play as she reaches the top of the arc. (St. Bonaventure Athletics)
The turning point, according to Crowley, was Haskell’s 3-pointer in response to Dickerson’s second half-opening deep ball. And while he hopes to eventually get his team to a point where they don’t necessarily need a big Haskell bucket to ease the nerves, he was happy she was there to provide on the night.
“I thought the first 3 in the third quarter really kind of took the weight off everybody,” Crowley said. “Obviously we’ve got to get over that, we have multiple people that can do multiple things, but once (Haskell) makes one, I think everybody just raises their confidence a little bit. So credit to her on that. … We had the opportunity to have to have answers, and they answered … so some really good things to grow on from there.”
Just like in the game against UAlbany, the Bonnies won the second half, this time by a 46-31 margin. One in which saw them over the finish line with the victory in tow.
Bona has just one non-conference game left, a road game against Robert Morris on Dec. 21 at 4 p.m., before it begins Atlantic 10 conference play away against Loyola-Chicago.
