By SPENCER BATES
SAINT LOUIS — Despite a slow start, through three quarters of its first Atlantic 10 Conference game of the season, the St. Bonaventure women’s basketball team was down just one to Saint Louis.
Entering the game, the Billikens had just two wins to their name. A stark contrast to the Bonnies’ 7-2 start to the season.
But as head coach Jim Crowley noted prior to the affair, Saint Louis’ season numbers are deceiving due to the quality of opponents they have faced. And after all, games are not won on paper.
The Bonnies scored 25 points in the final frame, more than they managed in any of their prior quarters and more than the sum of their first and third quarter tallies. But for as much as they attempted to will the result over the line, the hosts just about kept their noses in front with an efficient 30 points over the final 10 minutes of action, resulting in a 76-70 loss for Bona.
“Credit to Saint Louis,” Crowley said. “They really attacked the rim, especially in the second half. We weren’t able to get stops when we needed to. We made some good runs. But giving up 30 points in a quarter is not a good way to win a game, especially on the road. I’m proud of the way we hung around, we just couldn’t get the stop we needed.”
Bona had scored 36 of its points, more than half, in the paint. But it was the Billikens’ physicality that saw them win the battle down low, where they found 48 of their points.
But it was not just the physicality that Saint Louis held over the Bona, also playing a pivotal role in the contest was the turnover battle.
Mind you, the Billikens had their struggles and committed 15 turnovers over the course of the affair, but the Bonnies turned over the ball 19 times. And although there may not be all that much of a difference between those numbers, it was the points each managed on the back of those turnovers that stand out.
Saint Louis out-scored Bona by 10 in points-off-turnovers, 21-11.
But if there is a silver lining to the game it is that the Bona bench remained a factor.
Through nine games, the depth of the Bonnies has been one of its biggest weapons. At times it was either Ivona Djikanovic, Mallory Heise, Kylie Buckley, Brianna Barr-Buday, or a combination of players that provided the spark. Against SLU, it was Olivia DiFranco.
Her 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting was a joint-team-high tally, with Laycee Drake hitting that mark as well. Drake added five rebounds and five assists to her final stat line.
Mackenzie Pettinelli, who hit a big 3-pointer down the stretch as Bona was attempting to claw back into the lead, and Aaliyah Parker each finished with nine points.
As for the Billikens, Jahda Denis led the way offensively with a big 24-point, four-rebound, four-assist, four-steal performance. Alexia Nelson had the second-highest point tally for Saint Louis. She finished with 17 points and three rebounds.
St. Bonaventure resumes non-conference action after the early A10 affair on the road at Le Moyne on Dec. 6 at 1 p.m.
