BLACKSBURG, Va. – St. Bonaventure junior Demitrius Conger tied a career-high with 23 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 73-64 loss to Virginia Tech Sunday night at Cassell Coliseum.
The Hokies (5-1) and Bonnies (2-2) got off to a slow start, having nearly as many turnovers (17) as field goals (18) in a plodding first half that saw VT take a 25-21 advantage at the break.
After starting the half on a 7-2 run, VT held a steady lead and was ahead 46-37 after Erick Green’s 3-pointer.
Conger poured in 17 of his 23 in the final 20 minutes as St. Bonaventure pulled to within three, 48-45, with 7:33 to go in the game on consecutive 3s from Matthew Wright and Michael Davenport.
VT responded, however, with five unanswered to build an eight –point cushion, and later stretched a 59-54 lead to 12 with a 10-3 run over 2:53 down the stretch to put it just out of reach.
Davenport chipped in 13 points for the Bonnies after being held scoreless for the first time in 43 games against Siena, with Wright adding eight and dishing out four assists.
Senior Andrew Nicholson had an uncharacteristic night, shooting just 4-of-14 from the floor for nine points while collecting seven boards. It marked the first time in 18 games and just the second time in the last 40 that Nicholson did not crack double digits.
Green led the Hokies with 19 points including 7-of-8 from the line.
St. Bonaventure returns to the Reilly Center to face Arkansas State (1-4) on Thursday, before a two-game road swing at Buffalo (Dec. 3) and Illinois (Dec. 7).
NOTES: The trip to Virginia was walk-on Zach Moore‘s first flight … Nicholson passed Rocky Llewellyn (1,572 points) for 12th place on the all-time scoring list … credentialed NBA representatives included the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards and Minnesota Timberwolves.
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