By SPENCER BATES
CHICAGO — In the Atlantic 10 season-opener for the St. Bonaventure women’s basketball team, offense proved hard to come by — for both Bona and Loyola Chicago.
In the 57-40 loss to the Ramblers, the Bonnies recorded their lowest point tally of the season and were held under 40% from the field for the sixth time this year.
Finding the bottom of the bucket was not much easier for the hosts either, as they shot under 40% from the field as well and only just managed to tie its second-lowest point tally of the campaign.
Both sides finished the first quarter with single-figure scores. They exited the first half with under 20 points. And even through three quarters, neither side managed to break the 30-point threshold.
It wasn’t until the fourth quarter when the lids seemingly came off the baskets.
Loyola Chicago just about doubled its output through three quarters in the fourth alone, scoring 28 points. Bona came six points shy of doing the same, scoring 17 in the final frame.
St. Bonaventure forward Caitlin Frost (21) looks for a teammate in the paint. (St. Bonaventure Athletics)
While the defenses of both sides played a role in the low-scoring affair, the Bonnies’ offensive output was not aided by its turnovers. They conceded eight turnovers in the first quarter alone and finished the game with 20 overall.
The Ramblers weren’t far off that mark, turning the ball over 15 times themselves. But the biggest difference maker was the fact that they scored 15 points off turnovers while the Bonnies only cashed in five points in the category.
According to Bona coach Jim Crowley, the reason the game got away from his team was that the defensive resistance they had put up through three quarters faltered when it mattered most.
“There was three pretty good defensive quarters, we just shot ourselves in the foot during that time with turnovers,” Crowley said. “(We) really played with great urgency in the fourth quarter, and we were able to get some scores, we just couldn’t string together stops. (It was a) really good learning opportunity for the level it takes to win in this conference, especially win on the road.”
According to Crowley, what it is going to take for his side to start to turn the negative results into positive ones is a consistent effort throughout four quarters. Against the Ramblers, the defense was solid through three frames, but the offense wasn’t there. Then, the switch flipped and for the final quarter the offense started to come alive but the defense ground to a halt.
“In the first quarter, we held Loyola to 3-for-17, and we’re tied because we had eight turnovers,” Crowley said. “We’re playing sideways too much, we’re dribbling without a purpose. They were physical defensively, and that took us out of our rhythm. … Early, we had some good looks that didn’t go down. So, (we have) work to do and and I’m pleased with the effort for, certainly, the first three and a half quarters, but we got to put it all together and obviously have to take better care of the ball and play better offensively.”
St. Bonaventure guard Dani Haskell (22) drives past her Loyola Chicago defender. Haskell had a game-high 14 points in the Bonnies’ 57-40 loss to the Ramblers. (St. Bonaventure Athletics)
Dani Haskell led the Bonnies with a game-high 14 points. Zoe Shaw was the only other Bona player to finish in double-figures, scoring 10 on the night.
Naelle Bernard and Emma Theodorsson both finished with a team-high 13 points for Loyola Chicago. Behind them was Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr who tallied 11.
The Bonnies return home on Jan. 2 for their first A10 home game of the season, an affair against Rhode Island, that will tip-off at 1 p.m.
