St. Bonaventure Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Bonnies

Season Outlook

There is an absurd amount of talent on this St. Bonaventure team, and the Bonnies undeniably feature one of the best starting fives in the Atlantic 10.  Coming off a 19-12 season that saw them knock off NCAA Tournament squads in Rutgers, Hofstra, and Richmond, optimism is deservedly and understandably high in Allegany, New York.

Mark Schmidt is, arguably, one of the best mid-major coaches in college basketball, and his tenure at St. Bonaventure is proof of that.  He has had the Bonnies in a position to compete nationally during his time at the helm, and this season should be no exception.

The guard/center combo of Lofton and Osunniyi will be one of the most underrated pairings nationally this season, and, now entering their junior years, the two are in a perfect situation to place the Bonnies as one of the best teams in what alumnus Adrian Wojnarowski would deem “the mighty Atlantic 10” – and they could potentially cement themselves as the best team in the conference heading into 2021-22.

St. Bonaventure’s average offensive numbers should see a sharp incline with the influx of transfers – and that will alleviate a lot of tension and stress on the starting lineup.  If the Bonnies can polish their defensive numbers, this team should have no issues surpassing last year’s win total – either overall or in conference play.

Plus, again, this is a team with the luxury of having no seniors.  In a way, they are similar to this year’s Richmond squad.  Richmond, last season, was a fringe NCAA Tournament team with a junior-heavy starting lineup.  This year, with nearly everyone back, they are (or were, now with Nick Sherod’s injury) a potential Final Four team.

This is exactly how the next two years could play out for St. Bonaventure.  They are currently sitting on the bubble heading into this season, and should – barring any missteps – make the national tournament. If everyone opts out of testing the professional waters at the end of this season, they have a real chance of being one of the best mid-major teams – and a dark horse Final Four squad – in 2021-22.

But, for now, the Bonnies will have to focus on navigating through a conference dominated – in national media and in talent – by Richmond, Saint Louis, and Dayton.  If Schmidt and his crew make any noise this season and make a sudden appearance in the national limelight, no one should be alarmed – they have the talent and coaching needed to hang around the big leagues.