With 4:56 remaining in the men's basketball game with St. Bonaventure Saturday afternoon at Rec Hall, some of the 5,219 in attendance headed for the exits. They could have left after the Lions' first basket.

When the crowd started leaving the Lions (8-4, 2-2 in the Atlantic 10) led 85-49 and went on to win 93-61. The 32-point margin of victory was one of the closer margins in the game as the Lions led by 40 points, 89-49, with 4:35 left.

DeRon Hayes scored the first basket on a 16-foot jumper. Forward James Barnes then went to work on his career-high 27 points. The 6'7", 255-pound junior scored the next three baskets on a dunk, layup and a jumper from the baseline. From there the Lions went on a 13-1 run that put them up, 19-3, and essentially put the game out of reach.

"I think it was more important, though, when we maintained what we did," Parkhill said. "I wasn't so concerned about getting the quick start than playing well and getting the win. I thought the guys did a real good job of bearing down and staying with it and playing the game."

"That was a big boost because the last few games we started either behind or bucket for bucket," guard Monroe Brown said. "Against Wake Forest we had a quick start and got rolling. Even if we don't get that fast start we have to learn how to stick in there."

It must be the Rec Hall water or something that causes the Lions to play so well at home. The last six games the Lions had been averaging 59 points a game, but scored 93 on Saturday. They had averaged 45.5 percent from the field, but averaged 56.7 against the Bonnies. And four players, James Barnes (27), Brown (15), Hayes (14) and Ed Fogell (10) scored in double figures.

The Lions held on to that big lead in the first half, leading, 47- 27, at halftime. The Lions opened the second half with a three-point bomb by Brown. The Lions' next basket was a thing of beauty as James Barnes scored via a layup on a no-look pass from Freddie Barnes.

The Lions went up by 31 on two Lem Joyner free throws, and by 40 on Michael Jennings' layup. Throughout the game, the Lions looked like they could do no wrong, and didn't show any signs of the team that went 2-4 on its road trip.

"Everything was flowing, it didn't seem as hard," Brown said. "Before, we were just playing, we weren't having fun."

"Obviously, coming off two losses it was very important for us to play well and get the crowd support back behind us," James Barnes said. "It was a great feeling for us to be back home."

The Bonnies (5-6, 1-2) have an even worse case of home sickness, being in the middle of an eight-game road trip. They haven't played at home for 45 days.

"We need some home cookin'," Bonnies coach Tom Chapman said. "That was no more evident for Penn State two days ago that it was coming in. And it's no more evident for us, and we have to go to Massachusetts Monday.

"So, I think I'm going to put a call into (Atlantic 10 commissioner Ron) Bertovich and see what we can do," Chapman quipped. "Maybe we can tag along with Penn State to the Big 10. That was our first game against a Big 10 team."

The Lions can't rest on their laurels for long; they play Duquesne at 7:35 tonight in Pittsburgh. The Dukes are 1-11 so far, but Parkhill calls the game a "dangerous" one.

"We certainly can't take Duquesne for granted," Parkhill said. "They play hard for the tough game. I think it will be a tough game, and it's an important game for us no question."