Bonnies’ Struggles Mount: Defensive issues exposed in VCU loss

St. Bonaventure fell short of VCU, 75-61, Friday night at the Siegel Center in Richmond, Virginia. Having now lost five of their last six games, St. Bonaventure (15-6, 3-5 Atlantic 10 has glaring issues that head coach Mark Schmidt is trying to correct.

In conference play, the Bonnies have:

• Allowed 38.3% of 3-point shots (worst in A-10)
• Had 51.6% of shots against them come from 3-point range
• Shot 32.6% from 3 (lowest in A-10), and hit them at a 32.8% rate
• Allowed 64.7% of field goals to be assisted on
• Assisted on 40.5% of their own field goals

St. Bonaventure gives up the most 3-pointers in the A-10 in terms of attempts and makes while attempting the fewest themselves. Only once has the Bonnies made double-digit 3s in conference play this season, during a one-point overtime loss to La Salle. But only twice have the Bonnies given up fewer than 10 3s in a game thus far in conference play, once to Richmond and once to George Mason. In the other games, opponents have hit 10 or more from beyond the arc.

There are many reasons for stats like these to exist, one of which is the lack of quality, consistent guard play to cover perimeter shooters and distribute the ball in a playmaking role. The injury to starting point guard Dasonte Bowen has been a killer. He has been labeled as “day-to-day” for over a month and has no timetable to return.

Forward Chance Moore returned to the St. Bonaventure starting lineup on Friday and immediately had an impact, going 9 for 18 from the field for 21 points and eight rebounds. This sort of slashing production was missing, as center Noel Brown saw double teams in the low post and needed someone else to be a scoring threat on the inside.

The Bonnies took a 33-25 lead into the locker room against VCU on Friday, but fatigue set in as they played just two bench players, freshmen big men Xander Wedlow and Noah Bolanga. Failure to get out and cover the shooters of VCU — specifically Max Shulga, Phillip Russell and Joe Bamisile — led to a 50-point second half for the Rams en route to victory.

This has been another key part of the Bonnies’ season thus far. If we split the two halves normally played into four 10-minute “quarters” (as NCAAW teams do), St. Bonaventure has a minus-26-point differential in the third quarter in A-10 play. This means they get outscored by 26 points in the 10 minutes immediately after halftime. In the VCU game specifically, the Bonnies were outscored by 15 in that timeframe.

Teams have figured out St. Bonaventure: The 3-point line is wide open, especially without the defensive presence of Bowen on the perimeter. Opponents also get back on defense to stop the transition attack of Melvin Council Jr. and Chance Moore. With an at-large bid out of the question, the Bonnies’ goal is to secure a bye in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. That should, in theory, make the path to an automatic bid a little easier.