Posted: Mar 14, 2021
From the very start of this unprecedented college basketball season, this year’s edition of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team has added itself to the list of history-making squads in Bonnies history.
St. Bonaventure added another moment for the record books Sunday by earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the eighth trip to the Big Dance in school history.
The Bonnies captured the Atlantic 10 Championship Sunday with a victory over VCU to secure the conference’s automatic bid to the Tournament. Later that evening, the Bonnies learned they will be the No. 9 seed in the East Region, playing eighth-seeded LSU. The contest will take place on Saturday. Game time is set for 1:45 p.m. in Bloomington, Ind. The game will be broadcast on TNT.
After a 9-1 start to the season, the best for the program since 1971, Bona ultimately captured the first outright Atlantic 10 regular season title in school history before adding the postseason tournament championship to their NCAA resume.
During the season, the Bonnies built an impressive NCAA Tournament resume by going 11-4 against Quadrant 1, 2 and 3 opponents, including a 6-3 mark against Quad 1 and 2 teams. SBU took a NCAA NET ranking of 27 into Selection Sunday.
The Bonnies last made a trip to the Big Dance in 2018, earning a win over UCLA in the First Four with a school record 26 wins.
St. Bonaventure is fueled by point guard Kyle Lofton (14.2 ppg, 5.5 apg), a back-to-back Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference selection, and A-10 Defensive Player of the Year Osun Osunniyi (10.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg).
A team that relies on its starting five like no other in the nation this year, Jaren Holmes (13.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg), a Second Team All-Conference pick, Jalen Adaway (12.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Dominick Welch (11.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg) have all taken their turns in the starring role throughout the campaign.
LSU (18-9) was the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament and reached the championship before falling to top-seeded Alabama, 80-79.
The Bonnies are led by Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Mark Schmidt. Bona’s all-time wins leader, he brings the Brown and White into the Tournament for a third time under his leadership.
First-round games will be televised on TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV from these venues in Indiana:
Mackey Arena (West Lafayette, Ind./Purdue University)
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Ind./Indiana University)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind./Indiana Pacers)
Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind./Butler University)
Indiana Farmers Coliseum (Indianapolis, Ind./IUPUI)
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, Ind./Indianapolis Colts)
For the latest news on St. Bonaventure athletics, stay connected on social media. Follow the Bonnies on Twitter @GoBonnies and get men’s basketball updates @BonniesMBB. Keep up with the Bonnies on Facebook /GoBonnies and on Instagram @GoBonnies.
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