NORMAN, Okla. (WKBW) — For the second straight game, St. Bonaventure marched onto the home floor of a Power 5 team and took care of business on the road. The Bonnies upset the Oklahoma Sooners 70-68 in a nail-biter in the NIT's second round on Sunday night.
A hot start from St. Bonaventure forced the Sooners to call a timeout just a few minutes into the game. The Bonnies jumped out to an 8-0 lead, but trailed 36-33 at halftime. Jaren Holmes's 15 points led SBU at the break, while Oklahoma's Umoja Gibson had 16 in the first 20 minutes.
The two teams continued to trade blows in the second half; St. Bonaventure and Oklahoma were locked into a one-possession game down the stretch. All five seniors scored in double figures to survive a Sooner comeback. Holmes finished with 23 points, while Osun Osunniyi added 14 points and nine rebounds.
The win sends the Bonnies onto the quarterfinals of the NIT. The next team in St. Bonaventure's way of an NIT championship is the Virginia. SBU will visit the Cavaliers at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday night.
