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Bonnies To Face Maryland, Syracuse

St. Bonaventure To Host Five Nonconference Games

ST. BONAVENTURE — Five home games, a neutral-site game against Maryland and a visit to Syracuse highlight a very challenging 2017 nonconference men’s basketball schedule for St. Bonaventure.

The Bonnies will play 12 games prior to Atlantic 10 Conference action — five at the Reilly Center, four at road sites and three on neutral courts. Of the 11 set opponents, two reached the NCAA Tournament last season, Maryland and Vermont, while Syracuse reached the NIT.

St. Bonaventure’s games against Syracuse, Vermont, Buffalo, Canisius and Niagara as well as the Bonnies’ participation in the Emerald Coast Classic had been announced previously. The Bonnies’ Big 4 game dates against Buffalo (Dec. 2), Canisius (Dec. 6) and Niagara were announced Monday.

Following the Nov. 10 season opener against Niagara, the Bonnies will remain at home for two more games, hosting Maryland Eastern Shore on Nov. 15 and Jackson State on Nov. 18. Those two games are part of the Emerald Coast Classic, which then moves to Niceland, Florida, Nov. 24-25.

In Florida, St. Bonaventure will face Maryland Nov. 24, then play either TCU or New Mexico the following day. Maryland reached the NCAA Tournament last season, finishing 24-9 with an RPI of 38. Coach Mark Turgeon’s Terrapins are expected to again compete in the upper echelon of the Big Ten Conference. The Nov. 24-25 Emerald Coast Classic games will be played at The Arena at Northwest Florida State College.

After returning from Florida, the Bonnies will play Siena in the annual Franciscan Cup game on Nov. 29 in Albany. Last season, St. Bonaventure won the Franciscan Cup for the first time since 2013.

Two more road games follow, at Buffalo and Canisius, before St. Bonaventure returns home Dec. 9 to face Yale. Last season, the Bulldogs reached the Ivy League’s first-ever championship game before falling to Princeton. Yale ended with 18 wins and returns its two leading scorers from that team.

The Bonnies will then face Vermont in Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena on Dec. 16 in the Alesco Advisors Roc City Hoops Classic. That game will be followed by their last non-conference home game Dec. 20 against Northeastern.

“This is the most challenging nonconference schedule we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt, who is starting his 11th season. “It will be good to open with three straight home games, especially since we’ll be away for five in row after that. We’ll see a lot of veteran teams who will give us great tests. Overall, this schedule will really push us to perform at a high level.”

The Atlantic 10 Conference schedule will be announced in early September.

Last season, St. Bonaventure finished 20-12, its second year in a row of 20 or more wins. Two-time All-Atlantic 10 Conference senior point guard Jaylen Adams will lead the Bonnies. Last season, Adams averaged 20.6 points per game — second-best in the A-10 — and finished seventh nationally in assists (6.5 per game). Adams is joined by senior guards Matt Mobley and Idris Taqqee. Mobley was a third team All-Conference selection last season, when he averaged 18.5 points per game. Sophomore Josh Ayeni returns as the starter at power forward.

For information on purchasing season tickets, contact the SBU Ticket Office at 375-2500 or visit GoBonnies.com/tickets. Single game tickets go on sale in October.

For the latest news on St. Bonaventure athletics, stay connected on social media. Follow the Bonnies on Twitter @Go–Bonnies and get men’s basketball updates @BonniesMBB. Keep up with the Bonnies on Facebook /GoBonnies and on Instagram @GoBonnies.

A quick look at the Bonnies’ 2017 nonconference opponents:

Date Team 2016-17 Record (Conference) Postseason Last Year’s Result/Notes

Nov. 10 vs. Niagara 10-23 (6-14 MAAC) MAAC Quarters St. Bonaventure, 79-69

Nov. 15 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore 14-20 (9-7 MEAC) MEAC Semis Bona leads, 2-1

Nov. 18 vs. Jackson State 14-18 (10-8) SWAC SWAC First Round Second meeting in four years

Nov. 24 vs. Maryland @ Niceland, Fla. 24-9 (12-6 Big Ten) NCAA First Round 38th RPI last year

Nov. 25 vs. New Mexico/TCU @ Niceland, Fla. Emerald Coast Classic TCU: 2017 NIT Champs/New Mexico: 17-14 last year

Nov. 29 @ Siena 17-17 (12-8 MAAC) MAAC Final St. Bonaventure, 81-74

Dec. 2 @ Buffalo 17-15 (11-7 MAC) MAC Quarters St. Bonaventure, 90-84

Dec. 6 @ Canisius 18-16 (10-10 MAAC) CIT First Round Canisius, 106-101 (OT)

Dec. 9 vs. Yale 18-11 (9-5 Ivy League) Ivy League Final First Meeting

Dec. 16 vs. Vermont @ Rochester 29-6 (16-0 America East) NCAA First Round 45th RPI last year

Dec. 20 vs. Northeastern 15-16 (8-10 CAA) CAA First Round First Meeting

Dec. 22 @ Syracuse

Dec. 20 19-15 (10-8 ACC) NIT Second Round Second meeting in three years

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