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After closing out a wildly successful three-game home stand, the Red Flash return to the road where they'll meet Howard for the fifth time in program history.

Saint Francis has won four of its last five since opening the season with a three-game skid, but none of its victories have come as visitors.

SFU's only win away from DeGol Arena so far this season came as the home team in a neutral site game against Iona on Nov. 20.  The Flash defeated the Gaels, 77-69, at James Madison University's Convocation Center.

Howard - despite entering the game with a 3-7 record and having won only once in its last six outings – has an eye-opening, 59-51, win over Preseason NEC favorite Long Island to its credit.

The Flash are 2-2 all-time against the Bison, inlcuding a 1-0 mark in Washington.  The two teams last met on Nov. 23, 2004 - a 76-58 Howard win in Loretto.

The Red Flash will visit West Virginia on Saturday as they continue their eight-game road swing.


Next up: West Virginia
According to the most recent USA Today ESPN Division I Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Red Flash schedule features only one ranked team - no. 9 West Virginia.  Saint Francis is 0-3 against the Big East school, with its closest game – a 74-68 setback – coming in 2004-05.  Saint Francis last played the Mountaineers in 2007-08 (L, 81-29) in Susan Robinson Fruchtl's first season on the bench for the Flash.


Lilley ranks among national leaders
Britney Lilley's 15 assists against Kent State tied for the most in an NCAA?DI game so far this season.  Her 6.9 helpers per contest also rank fourth in the country.


Robinson Fruchtl notches 40th win
Saint Francis head coach Susan Robison Fruchtl earned her 40th career win with Nov. 28th's victory, 77-67, victory over Coppin State.  Looking ahead, Robison Fruchtl needs 15 wins to pass her predecessor Jill Poe (2003-07) in career wins.  Poe went 57-62 in her four seasons at the helm.


LEACH, WILLIAMS EARN NEC WEEKLY AWARDS
After posting a pair of big wins over Pittsburgh and Kent State, SFU student-athletes swept the Northeast Conference's two awards it was announced on Dec. 6. Senior guard Samantha Leach (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) earned Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week accolades for the first time in her career, while freshman Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) was named Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week.

Leach became the first NEC player to eclipse the 25-point mark in back-to-back games this season, pouring in a combined 55 points during victories.  The two-time All-NEC guard averaged 27.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per win.

Williams provided punch off the bench during the Flash's offensive explosion that resulted in Kent State's first loss of the season.  Three days after Leach scored 29 points to set the NEC's single-game season high against Pittsburgh, Williams matched the feat by pouring in 29 during a 101-92 overtime victory over the Golden Flashes.


Saint Francis unveils new Athletics website
On November 29th, the Saint Francis Athletics website moved to www.SFUathletics.com as a part of a new partnership between the University and SIDEARM Sports.  The new site includes features such as a mobile site, text alerts, an online store, enhanced live stats & video and much, much more.


Fast starts for Daly
Allison Daly (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) enters this afternoon's game as the Saint Francis' second-leading scorer, averaging 13.6 points per game.  In first halves alone, she is SFU's leading scorer, averaging 8.1 points.  She's hit 16 of her 25 three-pointers in the first half and shoots 48.0 percent from the floor in the opening period, compared to 38.9 percent in the second.  She averages 4.9 points per second half.


Leach fills 'closer' role
Samantha Leach (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) enters today's contest as the NEC's leading scorer, averaging 17.5 points per contest.  The majority of her work, however, comes in the second period when she averages 11.3 points and shoots 12-for-22 (54.5%) from long range.  Leach is SFU's third-leading scorer in the first half, averaging 6.0 points and shooting only 25.0 percent from beyond the arc.


Daly gunning for 1,000
Senior Allison Daly (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) is a strong candidate to become Saint Francis' 20th 1,000-point scorer.  The 5-11 guard enters today's game with 905 career points.  After scoring only 75 points as a freshman in 2007-08, Daly averaged just over 360 points per season as a sophomore and junior.