Demitrius Conger netted 12 points and pulled down seven rebounds as St. Bonaventure toppled Bethune-Cookman 65-55 in a nonconference affair in each team's season opener Friday night.
After letting the Wildcats cut a 29-25 halftime lead to 33-32, Conger and Matthew Wright hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Wright and Eric Mosley made layups to stretch St. Bonaventure's lead to 43-32.
After that, Bethune-Cookman only threatened briefly, cutting the Bonnies' lead to 55-49 with 2:25 to play. But a 3-pointer and a free throw by Mosley and then a dunk by Conger stifled Bethune-Cookman's charge.
St. Bonaventure scored 21 points off turnovers to Bethune-Cookman's 5.
Prior to the game, St. Bonaventure raised banners honoring the team's first Atlantic 10 championship and its NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance from a year ago.
The Bonnies are now 33-0 in season openers hosted at the Reilly Center.
Bethune-Cookman was 11-for-11 from the free throw line.
