WILMINGTON, Del. – A year removed from a competitive quarterfinals loss to the top overall seed, Davidson continued the program's postseason success at the 2023 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship, besting St. Bonaventure behind a 70-51 margin Wednesday evening at CHASE Fieldhouse in the final contest of the opening round of play.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our team,” Davidson head coach Gayle Fulks said. “I thought we fought through adversity, had some foul trouble, had to find different ways like we have all year and be creative. Tomisin and Rosie really stepped up, Elle was kind of Elle all game long and Issy really sealed the game with her free throws. Ultimately, it’s tough to win in March and we talked about needing to be a tough, disciplined and focused team. That’s why we earned an opportunity for another one.”
Davidson was led by Rosie Deegan and Tomisin Adenupe, each of whom swished 17 points on the night. For Adenupe, those 17 points represented her career high.
“Tomisin was a player where we saw flashes last year,” Fulks added. “When she gets going, it’s hard to keep her in front. Her hitting threes right now makes a huge difference. I think over the course of the season her gaining experience and understanding, what you saw today is her confidence come through. Her understanding what we are really is shining through and I’m very excited about her and her development.”
All-Conference Second Team selection Elle Sutphin contributed 16 points towards the Wildcats cause as well.
Bona, meanwhile, was led by guard Taylor Napper’s consisting of 17 points and nine rebounds, both career highs. Nikki Oppenheimer also chipped in with 13 points.
“Not the outcome that we wanted,” St. Bonaventure head coach Erica Morrow said. “We talked in the locker room that I literally couldn’t be prouder to have coached and had the opportunity to coach a group of young ladies as special as these. The way they adjusted (to having one starter out) and believed in our system and believed in things I said was amazing. It’s been a year of ups and downs and transitions, but we continued to fight. I’m not one for moral victories, but this was more of a life thing. I’m super proud of them.”
Davidson could not have gotten off to a quicker start, converting each of its first five shots from the field to the tune of a 15-4 run when Sutphin converted a second-chance jumper.
Oppenheimer briefly got the Bonnies back into the fight, providing a spark with a three-point bucket, but the Wildcats closed the quarter on an 11-4 streak, closing out the opening period with 26 points.
Davidson’s advantage reached 18 when Sutphin again connected, this time showing her range from beyond the arc. Within the final 1:39 of the opening half, though, St. Bonaventure composed an 8-0 run, reducing Davidson's edge to just 10 points.
The Bonnies struck first in the third when Napper nailed a hook shot on a pass from Breauna Ware, but the Wildcats responded quickly with a 9-0 run, jumpstarted by a Sutphin corner three-point off a turnover.
The 'Cats offensive engine continued to churn throughout the third, growing their lead out to as large as 20 points late in the period.
“We needed to get boards and I think it has always come down to the boards,” Adenupe noted. “Coach [Fulks] says it all of the time and I have to give our team credit for getting down and dirty with me, that’s all we can ask for.”
The Bonnies would again mount a comeback as an 8-0 streak forced a Davidson timeout, but the Wildcats managed to maintain a 13-point edge as the fourth quarter approached.
Oppenheimer connected from long-range early in the period, bringing the game to within single digits with 7:37 remaining.
Adenupe and Mallorie Haines converted on crucial plays late to put the game away, clinching the win for the 'Cats.
“Coming into March, it was an opportunity to show the conference what we’re really capable of when we’re playing well,” Deegan assessed. “We came in with a really good gameplan and I think the team did a really good job of sticking to it.”
With the win, Davidson moves on to the second round of the Atlantic 10 Championship, challenging sixth-seeded Saint Joseph’s at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.