BROOKLYN — The man with the barrel chest and toothpick legs has been one of my favorite college basketball players over the last few years. At last year’s ACC Tournament in Brooklyn, Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson led the Irish all the way to the championship game, where they lost to Duke, while averaging 22.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
As this season progressed, Colson was putting up his standard stat lines of double-doubles while being in the conversation as a contender for National Player of the Year honors. He opened the year with 18 points, 13 rebounds and five assists against DePaul, then bulldozed Mount St. Mary’s two days later to the tune of 27 points and 11 boards.
Bonzie Colson Displays Excellence In Notre Dame Win vs. Georgia Tech
Bonzie Colson is a force inside and outside for Notre Dame. He led the way to an Irish victory Saturday afternoon versus Georgia Tech, 68-59. He finished with another double-double to add to his resume, with 22 points and 17 rebounds. Check out his big day right here!
On November 22nd against then-No.6 ranked Wichita State, Colson scored 25 points, snagged 11 rebounds and blocked two shots in the 67-66 Irish win. On December 16th, he put up a 29 and 11 against Indiana, followed by a bully-like performance that the Gooch would be proud of as he battered Dartmouth to the tune of 37 points and 11 rebounds.
Against Georgia Tech to close out December, he scored 22 points and snatched 17 boards. The man who burst onto the national scene as a dominant force last year had taken his game up to another level. And to paraphrase Fat Joe, it seemed like nothing could stop him, as both he and the Fighting Irish were all the way up.
But when Colson went down with a broken foot after the Georgia Tech game, it seemed as if his mushrooming legend, along with Notre Dame’s NCAA Tournament hopes, had come to an abrupt halt.
Bonzie Colson’s Return Makes Notre Dame Dangerous
Bonzie Colson has returned from a foot injury that kept him out most of the ACC regular season. In his two games back, Colson has averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds per contest. With the preseason ACC Player of the Year back in the fold, Notre Dame is dangerous as the ACC Tournament gets underway.
After missing 15 games, the 6-foot-6 senior forward from New Bedford, Massachusetts returned in dramatic fashion, just in time to rescue his team’s hopes of dancing during March Madness.
On February 28th, his prolonged absence was put in the rearview mirror after he played 21 minutes against Pitt, and looked as if he hadn’t skipped a beat with 12 points and nine rebounds in limited action.
On Tuesday, he propelled Notre Dame to their 67-64 win over Pitt in the first-round of the ACC Tournament with a team-high 19 points.
Bonzie Colson Leads The Way In ACC Tournament Win vs. Pitt
Bonzie Colson is looking as good as ever since he has returned from injury. Colson was a key cog in the Irish’s 67-64 victory over Pittsburgh. He scored 19 points and hauled in 6 rebounds. Check out how he powered the Irish to victory right here!
And on Wednesday against Virginia Tech, he added to the sincere respect that’s already been put on his name. Despite missing 10 of his 14 shot attempts, he came up big when his team needed him the most.
Colson, whose game is reminiscent of the old dude on the playground with knee-high socks and goggles that just destroys anyone trying to guard him, banked in a 3-pointer to put the Irish up 60-59 with 2:02 to play. What made it so crazy was that the Irish had previously trailed by as much as 21 points.
Notre Dame went on to win 71-65, advancing to Thursday night’s quarterfinal matchup against Duke.
Colson’s money shot punctuated a 23-5 run for the Irish.
Big-time players make big-time plays, Notre Dame’s sharpshooting senior guard Matt Farrell, who finished with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists, said. Thats Bonzie Colson.
Bonzie Colson Notre Dame vs. Indiana – Full Coverage | 12.16.17 | 29 Pts, 11 Rebs
Song and Beats Submission – [email protected] Create Your Own Sports Vision Here – 2018 NBA Mock Draft – Shoutout to SeatGeek for sponsoring the video, use code FRANKIE and get $20 back on your first order! Sign-up Here: https://sg.app.link/FRANKIE Box Score To This Game – – Want me to highlight your favorite team or Player?
At halftime, Colson scored about as many points as Donald Trump would garner in a current approval poll. The player who came into the game averaging over 20 points per was 1-of-10 with only two points to his name on the stat sheet.
He came in [to the locker room] and he wasnt upset,” said Farrell. “He was talking to the team about what we have to do better. It shows his character. Hes a really talented player and it showed in the second half.
In the second half, Colson got busy, converting on three of his four shot attempts for eight points. And with the Irish trailing by 17 with less than 11 minutes to play, he sparked the Notre Dame run with a big three and then sealed it up with the 3-point bank shot almost nine minutes later.
Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech ACC Basketball Tournament Highlights (2018)
Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech: Bonzie Colson banked in a 3 with under 2:00 to play to bring the Irish all the way back from a 21-point deficit to beat 7th-seeded Virginia Tech 71-65 at the 2018 New York Life ACC Tournament. Matt Farrell led the Notre Dame with 22 points in the amazing comeback victory.
Those are the shots youve got to hit during those times, he said. And it felt good.
A few weeks ago, Notre Dame’s NCAA Tournament hopes looked bleak. With Colson back in the mix, a win on Thursday against Duke will almost solidify their inclusion into the field.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last few years, especially at the ACC Tournament in Brooklyn, it’s that Colson is coming with some heat. To paraphrase one of Brooklyn’s finest, he’s dramatic, Asiatic, not like many. He’s different, so don’t compare him to another, ’cause they can’t hang, word to the mother!
Even coming off of a broken foot, Bonzie Colson ain’t half-steppin’.
