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Men's Basketball
Dayton outlasts Bonnies on Senior Night, 78-73
March 5, 2008
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Despite a valiant effort by its trio of seniors, St. Bonaventure fell to Dayton 78-73 on Senior Night Wednesday evening on Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center. Playing in the final home games of their careers, seniors Michael Lee, Zarryon Fereti and Tyler Relph did everything they could to try to come away with a win, combining for 63 of the team's 73 points. They combined to go 19-of-35 from the field, 12-of-20 of long range and 13-of-14 from the free throw line. Lee led all scorers with a career-high 27 points, including 18 in the first half, and a game-high nine boards. Lee's 20-point game was his 10th on Bob Lanier Court in 13 chances this season as he sank all four of his three-point shots. Relph also added a 20-point effort, his second in a row, going for 20 points with six assists. Fereti's 16 points came on 4-of-7 from long ranges, as all three hit four three-point field goals. "These three have been terrific all season," head coach Mark Schmidt said after being asked how much he'll miss the senior class. "They've done everything I've asked of them, given it all every day this season and have been a blessing for me in my first season. They are the model for what we're trying to instill in our players." In a closely contested game, the key in the win for Dayton was its 26-14 advantage in the paint and 24-12 edge in points off turnovers. Senior guard Brian Roberts finished with 24 points while guards Andres Sandoval and Marcus Johnson each chipped in with 13 points. The win clinches a spot in the Atlantic 10 Tournament for Dayton (19-8, 7-8), while the Bonnies fall to 8-21 with one game remaining.
The Dayton lead was double figures from the outset as it outscored the Brown and White 17-5 in the first four minutes of the game, including five three pointers. The Flyers owed the hot start to six consecutive field goals made overall. The Bonnies responded with a modest run of their own, outscoring the Flyers 10-3 over a two-minute stretch capped off by a Relph three-pointer. After trading baskets and falling behind 35-20, the Brown and White again rallied behind a boisterous home crowd and pulled within four following an 11-0 run. Dayton went cold on offense, committing two turnovers and missing four consecutive shots during the four-minute stretch. The team parlayed their momentum into their first lead of the game as Michael Lee threw down a thunderous tomahawk jam after picking off an errant pass to make the score 39-38 in favor of the Bonnies and sent the crowd into a frenzy. In a fitting tribute in their final home game, the Bonnies' senior trio scored 23 of the team's first 25 points and overall in the first half, the seniors scored an astonishing 39 of the team's 43 points. Lee could not be stopped from behind the arc in the opening frame, making all three of his attempts in route to 18 points and five rebounds. Fereti joined in on the bombardment, hitting three of his four attempts from three-point land as he scored 13. Relph added four assists to just one turnover in the first half along with eight points. Both teams were running and gunning throughout the half, with the Bonnies shooting a blistering 63.6 percent (14-22) from the floor and the Flyers not far behind at 57 percent (16-28). Roberts led his team into the half with 13 points. The Brown and White carried the strong first half over into the second as both teams battled through eight lead changes and four ties in a half in which no team led by more than five points. With the score tied at 64-64, Dayton guard London Warren hit his one and only three point attempt of the game that was counted despite the apparent expiration of the shot clock. The Bonnies wouldn't take the lead again and did not make another field goal after Relph struck gold again from three at the 7:37 mark of the game. The Bonnies converted 8-of-9 from the foul line during that stretch, but the Flyers put the game away as Sandoval hit a baseline three with 21 seconds left to put Dayton ahead by five. The Flyers extended their sharp shooting, scoring on 64.7 percent (11-17) of their shots in the second half while the Bonnies slumped to just 34.8 percent (8-23). St. Bonaventure finishes the season with a 5-8 record at home and will play its final game of the season when it travels to the Bronx on Saturday for a matinee game. Tip at Rose Hill Gym is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Senior Game Notes
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