BY WILL POLADIAN, SPORTS EDITOR
The Reilly Center brought the noise as St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt led the new look Bonnies to victory over Alfred University, 76-48, on Wednesday night.
The Bonnies started out the game with a freshman forward Yann Farrell 3-pointer from the top of the key.
Continuing to push, redshirt junior guard Daryl Banks III racked up eight points in the opening minutes.
St. Bonaventure and Alfred traded two pointers and defensive stops until the 2:08 mark in the first half.
Sophomore guard Kyrell Luc sparked the offense with a top of the key three to bring the Bonaventure lead to seven.
Luc scored the final 10 points in the first half to bring the score to 38-29 at the break.
“I thought the first half we relied too much on a jump shot,” Schmidt said. “We got a little bit stagnant. We didn’t play great, but it’s understandable.”
Banks III had 12 points and four assists, Luc had 10 points, four assists and a steal, and Farrell had eight points, six rebounds and one assist.
Graduate forward Brewster Marshall had six points and three assists, graduate guard Kevin Durkin had five points, and senior guard Adam Enders had five points for the Saxsons.
Mike Schmidt, son of Mark Schmidt, had three assists and four points at the break.
In the second half, the Bonnies started out hot with a Banks III layup.
The Bonnies then went on an 11-0 run.
“We got stagnant a little bit, but I thought we did a much better job of playing with energy and some enthusiasm in the second half,” Schmidt said.
Luc’s three straight steals leading to four points and a Banks III steal to Evans alley-oop capped off the run.
“I just try and use my height to pass first,” said Luc. “I just get my teammates involved first, just playing my role really.”
With the game out of reach, freshman guard Tyler Curran checked into the game with 2:48 left for Luc.
Curran is the son of Bonaventure assistant coach Steve Curran and brother of Casey Curran, who plays on Alfred.
Curran caused a turnover and hit a two from the left of the key within 30 seconds of each other.
To top the game off, Evans slammed one home off a redshirt junior guard Moses Flowers steal, securing the Bonnies’ victory over Alfred.
Banks III ended the game with 18 points on 38% shooting, seven assists, three rebounds and three steals to lead the Bonnies.
Luc had 17 points on 54% shooting and 75% from three. He also tallied four assists and five steals.
Evans had 12 points on 60% shooting, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Farell had 10 points on 40% shooting and 33% from three. He also tallied 11 rebounds, one block and two steals.
“Yan is more of a jump shooter,” said Schmidt. “He relies maybe a little bit too much on that jump shot. Barry’s more of an athletic driver slasher type of player. One gets eight rebounds, one gets 11 rebounds and that’s what we need.”
Marshall had eight points, five rebounds and one assist to lead the Saxons.
Enders had seven points and two assists while Durkin had seven points, one rebound and one block.
The Bonnies shot 43% from the field and 39% from three while causing 26 turnovers on the night, scoring 24 points off them.
“We forced 26 turnovers and I think that’s when we’re at our best when we can get offense off defense,” said Schmidt.
St. Bonaventure swatted seven balls on the evening compared to the Saxons’ two.
The Bonnies open the season in the Reilly Center on Monday against St. Francis (PA) at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
“Everybody was telling me what it’s like to play in the Reilly Center,” Banks III said. “I definitely felt the presence. It was amazing. I can’t wait to get back to it on Monday.”
poladiwj20@bonaventure.edu
