By Paul Casey Gotham
Bernard James and Luke Loucks led the way as the Florida State Seminoles used a late 12-0 run to top the St. Bonaventure Bonnies 66-63 in the second round of the NCAA East Regional.
James scored four, and Loucks added a three and an assist in the decisive run. James started with a turnaround and step through in the post for a layup. After an Ian Miller jumper, James tied the score at 52 when he trailed a Loucks open-floor layup with a dunk.
Miler’s pullup three off a high-ball screen gave the Seminoles their first lead of the game at 55-52 with 5:14 remaining.
“I’m really proud of my team, our team. We gave great effort,” St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt said. “Just didn’t make enough plays. They’re the fifth best defensive team in the country. We were right there with them. There’s no negatives about this game. We lost, but we gave a great performance.”
FSU stretched the lead to eight.
Loucks nailed a three after a loose ball situation created a breakdown in the Bona defense. An Okaro White dunk on a lead from Loucks capped the run.
“They played physical, commented Bona’s Andrew Nicholson. “They were fronting the post so denying the entry, and so we just had to run plays they gave me off the block.”
Bona rallied.
Demitrius Conger grabbed a loose ball and finished at the rim. Nicholson took a Charlon Kloof pass and hit a catch-and-shoot three, and SBU trailed 60-57.
White and Conger traded treys before Bona called their final timeout with :38 remaining.
A Conger three from the left corner pulled the Bonnies within two at 65-63.
The Brown and White had a chance when Deividas Dulkys missed the front end of a one-and-one, but White made a spectacular play tapping the rebound to Loucks waiting at mid-court.
“That single play was the most important play of the game,” Loucks noted. “Before that, you know, St. Bonaventure
had thrown in a couple of unbelievable shots. They really had the momentum. I don’t know what the exact score was, but when he — when Okaro uses his athleticism and goes in between three, four guys and somehow manages to get his hand on the ball and then have the talent to throw it back to us, it was just an unbelievable play — I think themost important play of the game.”
The Bonnies opened the game scoring seven straight. Andrew Nicholson slipped a screen on a baseline out-of-bounds play and caught a Charlon Kloof pass for the open layup. After a pair of Kloof free throws, Nicholson stepped to the top of the key and hit a catch-and-shoot three from Demitrius Conger.
“They were well prepared,” said Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton. “They’re loaded with talent. They executed very well. We were very fortunate to come away with a victory. They won their league. Some teams from the Atlantic 10 have done real well in the NCAA Tournament.”
Florida State scored 10 in a row to pull within two. Bernard James grabbed his own miss and scored at the rim. Xavier Gibson followed with a dunk. Luke Loucks hit from long range and led Ian Miller on the possession for a trey. FSU trailed 22-20.
Conger and Da’Quan Cook helped Bona nab a six-point edge at half. Cook took a drop pass from Conger in transition for an open-floor dunk. Cook connected from the free throw line on a catch-and shoot jumper. Conger hit four-of-four from the free throw line, and SBU led 34-28 at the half.
The Bonnies hit 50 percent from the floor (13-26) and outrebounded FSU 15-14 in the opening stanza.
Nicholson led all scorers with 20. He added seven rebounds.
Conger added 14 points and nine rebounds.
James notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Loucks chipped in with 13.
The Bonnies held Florida State’s leading scorer Michael Snaer without a point.
“He missed some shots,” Schmidt commented. “We thought he was the best player on the team. You try to take away the known, and so we pressured him. We did a decent job. He missed some open shots, too. He’s a heck of a player. But, you know, as you try to contain him, you know, then James goes off. That’s why they’re so good. They’ve got a lot of different weapons. You’re not giving up on James because Snaer is open and James gets a jump hook. Our guys did a good job.”
“I’m not real sure that St. Bonaventure did anything that they didn’t do to our entire team,” Hamilton explained. “They just defended very well. Michael had good looks that normally go down. He’s a good shooter. It’s just one of those days.”
Florida State advances to meet Cincinnati in NCAA Tournament third round action.
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