ORLANDO, Fla. — Dasonte Bowen played a pivotal role in Saint Bonaventure’s victory over Northern Iowa, contributing 17 points as the Bonnies secured a 68-56 win in the third-place match of the NIT Season Tip-Off on Friday night.

Bowen recorded an impressive shooting performance, making 4 of 6 attempts from the field and a perfect 8 for 8 from the free-throw line, leading his team to improve their season record to 7-1. Supporting him, Melvin Council Jr. added 15 points with a shooting line of 6 of 12, including 2 of 5 from beyond the arc, while Chance Moore also made his mark with 14 points, going 6 for 12 and hitting 2 of 4 from three-point territory.

For the Panthers, who now stand at 3-4, Tytan Anderson was the standout scorer, finishing the game with 14 points. Kyle Pock contributed with 11 points, and Jacob Hutson rounded off the scoring for Northern Iowa with seven points.

Saint Bonaventure took control of the game just before halftime, leading for the final 48 seconds of the first half and maintaining the advantage throughout the second half. Council was instrumental in the first half, leading the Bonnies with 12 points, which propelled them to a 38-32 lead at halftime. The team further extended their lead, outscoring Northern Iowa by six points in the second half, with Bowen contributing nine points during that period.