Each passing day brings the possibility that Mark Schmidt’s coaching career will abruptly conclude.
Schmidt, 63, who has led St. Bonaventure the past 19 seasons, is retiring at season’s end.
As the Bonnies navigate the Atlantic 10 Tournament at PPG Paints Arena, the timing of Schmidt’s retirement is in the hands of his players. So far, behind two wins in two days, they’ve been unwilling to let their coach ride into the sunset quite yet.
“It’s for sure fuel to the fire,” junior guard Dasonte Bowen said after St. Bonaventure topped George Mason, 63-57, in the second round Thursday. “It’s our job to try to send (Schmidt) out in the best way we can, so that gives us a little more every single game.
“Obviously, you’re playing for your loved ones every time you step out there, but with him going out this year, we’ve got something else to play for.”
St. Bonaventure (17-16), the tournament’s No. 13 and second-to-last seed, defeated No. 12 La Salle in the opening round Wednesday.
Against No. 5 George Mason (23-9), St. Bonaventure trailed by 10 at halftime and as much as 11 in the second half but took a one-point lead with 3 minutes, 40 seconds to play and didn’t look back.
The Bonnies advanced and will face No. 2 Dayton (21-10) at 2 p.m. Friday.
“Things weren’t going well,” Schmidt said. “Our guys didn’t quit. They fought, and they made winning plays. We struggled — 0 for 9 in games decided by five or less points. The season could have been totally different in terms of record.
“We passed the test today. I’m proud, and now we go on and play another really good team in Dayton.”
Schmidt, who coached Robert Morris from 2001-07, is 340-254 at St. Bonaventure since 2007-08 with three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Along with his players, he saw the potential of this season compromised because of close losses. The Bonnies dropped six of their final seven games heading into the A-10 Tournament.
But behind two straight wins, the Bonnies are hoping to make a surprise run for an A-10 Tournament crown and automatic berth in the Big Dance.
Even if the Bonnies don’t go all the way in the A-10 Tournament, every extra win notched also improves their chances of receiving an invite to a postseason tournaments such as the NIT or 16-team College Basketball Crown, which started last season. It was announced Thursday that the College Basketball Invitational will not be played this year.
“It’s the same approach we’ve had, really,” Bowen said. “Obviously, we had a lot of similar games in the regular season that we weren’t able to close out. So today was the perfect day to be able to close those games out, and I think all those regular-season games prepared us greatly.
“I think the confidence level is the same. We’ve known what we can do since October. We’re just finally piecing things together at the right time.”
Dayton, which hasn’t played since a March 6 loss to VCU, is led by all-conference selections Javon Bennett, whose 15.9 points per game ranked fifth in the league, and De’Shayne Montgomery, who averages 14 per night.
When Schmidt takes the court Friday, it again could be the final game in his multi-decade career.
But if his players can showcase the same resiliency seen over the last few days, Schmidt likes his chances of hanging around a little while longer.
“We have character guys. We have competitive guys,” Schmidt said. “They weren’t happy losing nine games by five or less points. But it’s a confidence thing. Once it starts to spiral, it’s hard to stop. The only way you stop it is by one day, planting your feet and saying ‘We’re not going back any further.’ Today was that day.”