ST. BONAVENTURE (17-15, 7-11 A-10) at MIDDLE TENNESSEE (16-15, 11-7 CUSA)
Monday, March 23 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Bonnies Online Network
The St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team treks to the Volunteer State for its WNIT Second Round matchup against Middle Tennessee Monday, March 23. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Tune into the Bonnies Online Network at 7:00 p.m. for the pregame show.
SETTING THE STAGE
The Bonnies scored a thrilling, 69-67, overtime victory over Drexel Thursday evening at the Reilly Center, erasing multiple 10-point deficits in the second half.
Laycee Drake led all scorers with 24 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Aaliyah Parker recorded her third double-double of the season with 13 points, all of which came in the second half and overtime, and 10 rebounds. Elyse MacDonough chipped in nine points for the Brown and White while Ivona Djikanovic added eight tallies.
The Bonnies trailed the Dragons by 10, 59-49, with just over five minutes to play in the fourth quarter before the Brown and White ended regulation with a 10-0 run capped off by a Drake layup, forcing overtime.
The two teams traded scored in the overtime period as MacDonough's second three of the period gave the Bonnies a 67-64 lead.
Drexel answered with a three of its own on the next possession, setting up Parker for the game-winning layup with nine seconds left on the clock.
The Dragons' last second shot fell short, sealing the Bonnies first postseason win since the 2015-16 season.
60 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
Bona's is 12-3 this season when allowing 60 or less points, giving up 61.5 points per game. Rhode Island touts the best scoring defense in the A-10, allowing just 53.8 points per contest.
DEFENDING THE THREE
The Brown and White currently sit fourth in the Atlantic 10 and 87th in the NCAA, holding opponents to a 28.9 shooting percentage from beyond the arc this season.
The Bonnies have held opponents to five or fewer 3-pointers made 14 times this season, including a season-low one made three in the season opener against Mansfield Nov. 3.
DRAKE TURNING HEADS
Bonnies graduate Laycee is one of the most improved players in the country this season. In 28 games last season at UAlbany, Drake averaged 3.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists across 8.4 minutes per game. She finished the year with nine steals and shot 37.9 percent from the field.
This season, Drake leads the Bonnies in scoring, rebounds and assists. She is averaging 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Drake has registered 53 steals and is shooting 43.9 percent from the field while making a career-high 37 3-pointers.
Drake currently ranks third in the Atlantic 10 in field goals (184), fifth in field goal percentage (43.9), fifth in scoring (15.3) and ninth in rebounding (6.3).
PARKER'S PROWESS
Aaliyah Parker surpassed 1,500 career points and 700 rebounds this season, making her one of just 27 active players nationally to achieve those numbers. Her 334 career steals stand sixth among all active players while her 2.81 steals per game are behind only Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, Ny'Ceara Pryor of Texas A&M and Taylee Chirrick of Montana State.
This season she ranks fifth in the Atlantic 10 in steals per game (2.1), fifth in steals (66) and is eighth in free throw percentage (78.6 percent).
MAC ATTACK
Mackenzie Pettinelli has been a staple in the Bonnies lineup since joining the program as a freshman last season. She has appeared in all 62 games during her career and has made 60 starts for head coach Jim Crowley.
She is averaging 5.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 28.2 minutes per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the floor and 36.1 percent from beyond the arc.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE NOTES
- Middle Tennessee enters Monday 16-15 overall and 11-7 in Conference USA play. The Blue Raiders earned a first-round bye in the WNIT, falling in the CUSA quarterfinals to Missouri State, 69-66. The Blue Raiders finished last season 26-9 overall and earned a berth in the WBIT. MTSU was picked to finish third in the CUSA preseason poll, earning a pair of first-place votes.
- Rick Insell is in his 21st season as the head coach at Middle Tennessee, guiding the Blue Raiders to a 505-180 record during his time in Murfreesboro. Insell has led MTSU to 20 or more wins in 18 seasons and 20 postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA Tournaments, seven WNITs and one WBIT.
- The Blue Raiders are paced on offense by Alayna Contreras who is averaging a team-best 14.5 points per game. Blair Baugus (13.2 ppg) and Macie Phifer (11.4 ppg) also average double figures for MTSU while Baugus pulls down a team-high 9.2 rebounds per game.
SERIES HISTORY
The Bonnies and Blue Raiders have met just once prior to Monday back on December 20, 2010, at the USTA Holiday Classic in San Antonio. MTSU got the better of the Bonnies that day, 58-53. Megan Van Tatenhove led the Bonnies with 21 points and seven rebounds.
UP NEXT
The winner of Monday's matchup advances to face the winner of the Cleveland State-Monmouth contest in the WNIT Super 16. Date and time are to be determined.
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