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Bonnies Fall In Double OT

Dayton’s Victory Dampens Stockard’s Career-High 36 Points

ST. BONAVENTURE — With a snowstorm brewing outside, no one seemed to mind a little overtime basketball Saturday inside the Reilly Center.

In a hard-fought Atlantic 10 game that took two overtimes to decide, St. Bonaventure fell just short as Dayton took a 89-86 decision. The game effort was little consolation to the Bonnies, who fell to 2-3 in the A-10 and 6-12 overall. St. Bonaventure’s 14-game home winning streak against A-10 opponents was snapped.

The loss also dampened a career-best effort by Bonnies senior forward Courtney Stockard, who scored 36 points to go with 10 rebounds and three assists.

Mark Schmidt’s team controlled most of the second half and led 63-55 with 4:31 left in regulation. From there, however, Dayton scored 10 of the next 11 points, going ahead 65-64 on a three-pointer by Jalen Crutcher with 2:27 left. The lead traded hands three times from there in a dramatic final stretch of regulation.

The next scoring came with 1:18 left on two free throws by freshman Alpha Okoli that put St. Bonaventure back in front 66-65. Crutcher answered with a score to put the Flyers ahead, but Stockard’s free throws with 45 seconds put the Bonnies back ahead 68-67. Obi Toppin answered with a layup off a set play with 33 seconds left.

St. Bonaventure called a timeout to set a final play, and Lofton was fouled and made the second of his two free throws with nine seconds remaining. A final shot by Dayton bounced off the rim and the teams went to overtime tied at 69.

In the first overtime, the Flyers twice went ahead by three but the Bonnies twice came back to tie the game. The second time was on a three-pointer by freshman Dominick Welch at the 2:20 mark.

See BONNIES, Page C2

Dayton was up 77-75, but LaDarien Griffen worked inside to tie the score with 20 seconds left. Stockard then stole the ball from Flyers guard Jordan Davis near midcourt in the final seconds of the first overtime and nearly had a running jumper to win the game fall. It bounced off the backboard and then the rim and out as time expired.

In the second overtime, St. Bonaventure grabbed a two-point lead early on two Stockard free throws. It was still a two-point Bona lead when Ryan Mikesell tied the score at 81, then Trey Landers put Dayton in front 82-81 on a free throw with 2:57 left. Two missed shots by the Bonnies later, Davis scored to put the Flyers ahead 84-81. After Stockard scored, Davis made the biggest shot of the game, a three-pointer with 15 seconds left to put Dayton up 87-83.

LaDarien Griffin made a three-pointer with five seconds left to pull the Bonnies within one at 87-86. Mikesell was fouled and he made two free throws. After a long pass was tipped out of bounds by Dayton, Griffin had one final chance, but his desperation three-pointer was off the mark.

Griffin finished with 18 points and Kyle Lofton had 11. Osun Osunniyi fouled out after 35 minutes with six points, nine rebounds and three blocks, and his presence was sorely missed in the overtime periods.

The Bonnies were shorthanded in the contest as neither senior guard Nelson Kaputo nor junior guard Jalen Poyser were able to play due to head injuries. St. Bonaventure used its ninth different starting lineup of the season.

Perhaps the most remarkable statistic of the game was the four Bonnies who logged more than 45 minutes – Stockard, Lofton, Griffin and Welch.

St. Bonaventure will be on the road for a pair of games next week, first at UMass on Wednesday. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. in the Mullins Center.

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