FULL PREGAME RELEASE (pdf)

The Red Flash continues its season-opening road trip with a visit to 2-0 Youngstown State.  Saint Francis is still searching for its first win of the season after a close call at Penn State and a setback at much-improved Niagara.

The Penguins, on the other hand, are flying high after road wins at George Washington and Georgia.  YSU, which was picked to finish fourth in the Horizon League, had four players averaging double-digit scoring totals over its two-game sample.

Preseason All-Horizon picks Kendrick Perry and Damian Eargle are among the four, averaging 13.0 and 10.5 points, respectively.

In Tuesday's bout at Niagara, the Red Flash came out cold in the first half but regrouped to whittle its 21-point halftime deficit to eight by midway through the second period.  SFU outscored the Purple Eagles 45-41 in the closing half of play and also built a commanding 23-to-16 edge on the boards.

Through the first three halves of 2012-13, SFU collected only two offensive rebounds before erupting for 12 in the second half against Niagara.


STARTING FIVE...

• Youngstown State marks the second-straight opponent to defeat the Red Flash at home by two points or fewer during the 2011-12 season (60-59); Niagara downed SFU, 65-63
• Two games in, sophomore guard Ollie Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Pinkston ) is averaging 17.0 points per game, which ranks seventh in the Northeast Conference
• Sophomore Matt Mazzara (State College, Pa./State College Area) is the only Red Flash player who will not be available to play this evening
• An SFU win would snap a seven-game road losing streak
• Krimmel on Niagara game: “Anytime you get out-rebounded like that in the first half you don't give yourself a chance to win games. Our guys came back and played with some purpose in the second half and gave us a shot pull back into it.”