Coach Jim Baron on the sidelines throughout the Kentucky sport [Photo credit: St. Bonaventure University Archives]

Each St. Bonaventure (SBU) and the College of Kentucky had storied basketball packages, however had by no means confronted one another. 

That modified on a Thursday afternoon on March 16, 2000, within the Cleveland State College Convocation Heart.  The Bonnies, determined underdogs within the first spherical NCAA sport, introduced 21 wins to the competition earlier than dropping to Kentucky in double extra time, 85-80.  In a 2020 CBS Sports activities article by Matt Norlander, the sport was ranked (#46) as among the many 101 most fun video games in fashionable NCAA historical past.

At 22-9, Kentucky Wildcats fell to Arkansas within the first spherical of the SEC Event, 86-72, however success emanated in Lexington.  Whereas solely in his third yr in Lexington, head coach Orlando (“Tubby”) Smith boasted a .794 successful proportion. 

Regardless of the tough draw for Baron’s squad, the sport was momentous for the St. Bonaventure program: Its final NCAA go to was 22 years prior, a 92-83 loss to Pennsylvania the place Greg Sanders scored 30 factors.    

Kentucky’s entrance line of Tayshaun Prince, Jules Carnara, and Jamaal Magloire (6-9, 6-11, and 6-10) averaged 18 rebounds and 33 factors.  The Wildcats—the tallest staff among the many 64 within the NCAA that yr—offered a formidable problem for the Bona frontcourt of Peter Van Paassen (6-11), Caswell Cyrus (6-9), and David Messiah Capers (6-3). 

But Jim Barron, the Bona head coach in his eighth season, was undeterred.  In a current interview, he recalled his response to the NCAA pairing, considering “that is the best matchup within the nation.” As well as, the sport was slated to be performed in Cleveland, a bonus in his eyes.  “We’re nearer to Cleveland than they [Kentucky] are,” he added, understanding that the Bona fan help could be “monstrous.”  

Baron and his #12 seed Bonnies by no means misplaced greater than two in a row all through the season and received the Sparkletts Invitational in California the earlier November.  About six weeks later, practically 6200 followers crammed into the Reilly Heart to see the Bonnies upend Temple, a Prime 25 staff, 57-56.

It received 5 of the final six getting into the NCAA, solely dropping to #6 Temple within the Atlantic 10 event.  Baron anticipated a event bid.  “I completely felt that we undoubtedly deserved it by what we did in our league,” he recalled. 

But what about dealing with Kentucky, one of many winningest packages in historical past?  “I believed it was the most effective matchup within the nation,” Baron stated.  A part of the potential Bona edge was the Cleveland venue and its proximity to St. Bonaventure.  He knew that the Bonnie crowd could be “monstrous.”  In addition to which, Baron had religion in his squad, calling them a “large staff.” 

Even John Chaney, the famed Temple head coach, boldly predicted a Bona win over the #5 seed Kentucky.  In his view, the difficulty for Kentucky could be in containing 5-10 senior level guard Tim Winn.  In the meantime, former SBU coach Jim Satalin was quoted as saying, “…I assure you the Bonnies received’t be intimidated by Kentucky.” 

Whereas 13,500 followers had been filling the sector in Cleveland, the pre-game warm-ups added to the underdog position for St. Bonaventure.  In an Olean Occasions Herald (OTH) story, Winn associated a narrative the place Kentucky gamers shot on the Bona basketball whereas the staff stretched.  “We might by no means go shoot at your [Kentucky] basket when you’re stretching,” he stated. “I ponder in the event that they had been taking part in Syracuse if they might shoot whereas they had been stretching.”  Winn, nevertheless, didn’t confront the Kentucky gamers, including that he wished his teammates to “hold that state of mind.” 

The Bonnies led by as a lot as 10 factors within the first half, however a 23-5 Kentucky run on the finish of the primary body ended with a 36-28 Wildcat edge.  Kentucky prolonged its result in 13 factors earlier than the Bonnies rallied to tie the rating at 54 behind one in every of first-year guard Patricio Prato’s 4 three-pointers.  The Bonnies took a three-point lead into the closing seconds of regulation earlier than Prince nailed a three-point shot—his fifth of the sport—for Kentucky with 7.1 seconds left.  Two overtimes ensued with a complete of 39 factors.  

The primary extra time noticed Van Paassen fouling out with 1:50 remaining and Kentucky holding a one-point lead.  Prato picked up his fifth foul with 45.9 factors and left with a 20-point effort.  Down 72-68 at that time, the Bonnies turned the ball over 10 seconds later.  Kentucky prolonged their result in 73-68 with a free throw and 28.4 seconds left within the preliminary extra time.  J.R. Bremer, a 65% free throw shooter, made two of three from the road to chop the result in 73-70. 

Winn’s left-handed layup from below the Wildcat basket, coupled with a post-foul free throw, discovered the Kentucky margin minimize to at least one level with 8.7 seconds left. 

Messiah Capers’ heroics had been accountable for the second extra time.  Fouled with .4 second left and the Bonnies down by three factors, the 56% foul shooter made three straight free throws regardless of Kentucky timeouts interspersed within the course of.  In a post-game OTH story, he stated, “The fellows came visiting to me earlier than the free throws they usually informed me no matter occurs, when you make them or miss them, we nonetheless love you.  So I went up there, hit them and gave us one other likelihood.”

The Bona offense stalled within the second extra time, because it failed to attain within the last three minutes.  Down by a degree with 11 seconds remaining within the second extra time, Kentucky grabbed a three-point lead.  Winn practically landed a three-pointer within the closing seconds earlier than time ran out with the scoreboard studying, “Kentucky 85, St. Bonaventure 80.”   

The loss got here down partly to staff capturing: St. Bonaventure was 29 of 77 (.377) from the ground, whereas Kentucky made 28 of 56 (.500).  The Bonnies made 13 of twenty-two from the free throw line, far under Kentucky’s 23 of 35 output.

“I actually felt we had been going to win the sport.  I actually felt we had been the higher staff that day,” Baron stated. 

Ultimately, Kentucky had solely a slim edge on the boards, 46-42.  Cyrus dominated each side in amassing 18 rebounds, essentially the most since Tim Waterman collected 18 boards in a win over VCU in 1979.  (The one technical foul of the sport?  Cyrus was whistled for hanging on the rim with 5:25 left in regulation.)  The Wildcat’s peak benefit fell brief within the paint, as Bona outscored Kentucky there, 36-28. 

Bona fell to 6-7 in its NCAA event visits, however the slim loss to Kentucky was large in bolstering this system.  “I used to be simply so happy with our gamers, our employees, of the administration, and the followers and the neighborhood,” Baron stated.