EMMITSBURG, Md. – The Saint Francis Red Flash nearly led from wire-to-wire as it dispatched the defending Northeast Conference champions in Mount St. Mary's, 73-58, Wednesday night in an NEC quarterfinal game at Knott Arena. Greg Brown (Odenton, Md./Archbishop Spalding) scored a career-high 24 points, including 17 in the second half. Saint Francis will compete in the NEC semifinals for the second consecutive year and the fifth time in school history.

The Flash (16-14) stormed out of the gates. Earl Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) scored seven of the Flash's first nine points as SFU jumped out to a 9-0 lead just over four minutes into play. Earl Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) recorded the 70^th double-double of his career in the game, finishing with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

He controlled the first half. After a Will Miller three pointer made it 17-16 Flash, Brown scored baskets on consecutive possessions – with a defensive  rebound in between – to move it back to a five-point spread. He had 13 points, nine rebounds and two steals in the first half.

Mount St. Mary's (15-15) came back with six straight points to take its only lead of the night, and it was short-lived. Greg Brown (Odenton, Md./Archbishop Spalding) converted a three-point play to put the Flash back on top, 24-22, on the next possession. Stephon Whyatt (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep)'s free throw with two seconds left in the half sent the Flash into the locker room with a 29-24 lead.

Charles Glover's three pointer with 17:29 to play pulled the Mountaineers to within two at 33-31, but the Flash clamped down on defense. SFU held The Mount to just two points for more than seven minutes after Glover's make. In that time, the Flash went on a 13-2 run that effectively ended the Mountaineers' hopes of a comeback. Ronnie Drinnon (Jamestown, Ohio/Greenview)'s tip-in started the streak, and back-to-back three pointers by Ollie Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Pinkston ) and Dominique Major (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) extended the lead into double figures. On SFU's next trip down the floor, Earl Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) punctuated the run with a slam dunk. It gave the Flash a 46-33 lead with 12 minutes left.

The Mount had time to make one final push, and layups by Junior Robinson with 3:56 and 2:11 to play each cut the lead back to eight points. But the Flash, a 66.5 percent free throw shooting team during the regular season, had ice in its collective veins in the final minutes at Knott Arena. The Flash made 13 consecutive free throws in the final 1:41, only missing on the team's final attempt when SFU had a 17-point lead with 42 seconds remaining. It was the Brown boys serving as brothers in arms from the stripe. Greg Brown (Odenton, Md./Archbishop Spalding) was 9-for-10 in that stretch, and Earl Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) made all four of his attempts. Greg Brown (Odenton, Md./Archbishop Spalding) was 11-for-13 from the line for the night while Earl Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) was a perfect 10-for-10. They served as the catalyst in SFU's 24-for-30 performance from the foul line.

Drinnon recorded his ninth double-digit rebounding game of the season, finishing with 11. The Flash shot 52.4 percent from the floor while holding the Mountaineers to 39.3 percent. SFU entered the game as the top scoring defense in the NEC during the regular season, and the 58 points allowed are more than six below the Flash's 64.2 season average.

The Flash was the only lower seed to win in NEC quarterfinal action Wednesday night. That means SFU will travel to the Big Apple to face St. Francis Brooklyn in the semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m. In the other semifinal, Bryant will travel to Robert Morris for a noon tip.

Both games will be available on NEC Front Row along with MSG and Fox College Sports.