Musings: Lights Out in the RC & Injuries Continue to Mount
Last night in the Reilly Center the Bonnies attempted to play a basketball game against UMES but as you all know by now that game did not take place due to a power outage on campus. If you want to read more about last night’s events you can check out the write up in today’s Olean Times Herald here, or simply go back and check out our Twitter feed last night with plenty of updates and takes. (Photo used for this story taken from the Times Herald and Jerry Trass).
The game could be made up, but at this time the game has been cancelled with no make up date announced. It would be nice for the Bonnies to add another win (we hope) but not playing this game helps SBU’s RPI standing if you’re worried about that already. SBU next takes the floor at home on Saturday against Jackson State at 4 PM. Here’s some quick thoughts on last night and how the cancellations impacts SBU.
- As I tweeted last night this sort of thing could happen anywhere, but for some reason you almost feel like it would only happen at Bonaventure. Last night had an “Only in Olean” type of feel to it from start to finish. Again, this type of thing could happen at any Arena with any program, regardless of budget. Hell, the lights went out on the damm Super Bowl a few years back causing a major delay in the biggest sporting event on the planet. Still, it is these type of setbacks and minor headlines that make Bonas feel like a “mom and pop” type of operation and far more low-major than mid-major at times. While that may be charming thing to our fan-base, it doesn’t always do the program favors at times either. It is these type of events that cause other A10 fans to believe Bonas is “beneath” the rest of the league when in reality we know we are not. Bonas has been a top five program in the league (give or take) since 2012 but the reputation of “poor old St. Bonas” still lingers around the program despite upgrades to the RC and the team’s travel accommodations, etc. The “optics” if you will, are not great when Bonas has a game cancelled due to a power outage…specifically when there’s no Western NY snow storm to blame it on. Whether or not there’s financial implications from the cancellation or not (in terms of the tournament) I’m not sure, but at the least Bonas will likely have to refund all ticket sales if the game is not made up. I’m sure UMES enjoyed making the trip to Olean and back without a contest also.
- It was announced right before tip that wing Courtney Stockard would be out for the game with a groin or hip injury (seemed oddly vague and somewhat confusing). For Stockard, who has missed two years with an unrelated broken foot injury, this news is no good. SBU did not announce a timetable for his return but if he’s not back on the floor this weekend you may want to prepare for the worst and hope for the best (similar to Jay Adam’s injury). While the injuries are not related, you don’t like to hear that a player who missed two years with an injury is out again. Stockard is even more valuable now with Adams out and so his absences with further hamper the team and put increased pressure on Matt Mobley to score the ball. The silver lining is this: It’s one less game played without Adams (and now Stockard) and hopefully those two continue to heal up for this weekend and beyond.
- Jackson State, SBU’s foe on Saturday is 1-1 with a win of a non qualifier and a loss against 99th ranked Mercer, by a score of 86-58. The Tigers, out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference have a 4% chance of winning this weekend but don’t tell that to Bonas fans who already feel as though nothing can go right for them this season.
- Maryland, who SBU will face on the 24th, is 3-0 and ranked just outside the top 25. The Terps have beaten Stony Brook and destroyed UMES before downing a good Butler team last night at home by 14 points. They play Bucknell and Jackson State before facing Bonas the day after Thanksgiving. Stats of note very early in the season: MD ranks 13th in the nation in 2PT% (65%) and 19th in effective FG%…SBU better be ready to defend against this long and talented club. Maryland currently sports top 50 offense and a top 30 defense in terms of efficiency.
