BOX SCORE San Francisco, Calif. - After hitting its first two three-pointers of the game, the Saint Francis men's basketball team (0-2) made just one of its final 16 tries from behind the arc in a 75-63 loss at San Francisco on Monday night. Juniors Isaiah Blackmon and Jamaal King led Red Flash with 13 points apiece while sophomore Keith Braxton chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds.

Krimmel's Reaction 

"I thought we did a lot better job defensively tonight," said head coach Rob Krimmel. "We rebounded the ball better and were able to respond to some challenges on the glass. Offensively, we got the looks we were hoping for and didn't knock them down. Our guys work hard in the gym and the shots will start to fall. I think we are better leaving this trip than we were at the beginning of it."

Turning Point

Despite the cold-shooting night for the Red Flash, the game wasn't decided until the final two minutes. Braxton's coast-to-coast layup with 4:37 to play capped a 9-0 Saint Francis run and pulled them within one at 58-57. The Dons drew up a three-point look for Jordan Ratinho coming out of the timeout and he knocked it down for three of his 17 points to stretch the lead to four. With the Red Flash trailing 66-61, Souley Boum stuck the dagger into the Red Flash with a three-pointer with 1:03 to play to make the score 69-61. Boum made three of his four three-point attempts for a game-high 21 points.

Inside the Box Score

• Saint Francis made 25 of its 62 field goal attempts (40.3%), while USF hit 28 of 57 shots (49.1%).
• Saint Francis went 3-for-18 from three-point range (16.7%), matching its lowest percentage from any game last season when it went 4-for-24 vs. Bryant.
• The Dons made 9-of-23 three-point attempts (39.1%).
• Saint Francis went 0-for-7 from three-point range in the second half while USF made six of 10.
• Saint Francis made 10-of-15 free throws (66.7%), while USF made 10-of-14 from the charity stripe (71.4%).
• San Francisco narrowly won the rebounding battle, 37-33.
• Saint Francis attacked the basket off the dribble, outscoring the Dons 42-34 in the paint.
• SFU's defensive pressure forced 16 San Francisco turnovers. Blackmon and King led the Red Flash with three steals.
• Led by 21 points from Boum, San Francisco's bench outscored Saint Francis's 41-14.

Notes

• Saint Francis made four three-pointers or less just once in 34 games in 2016-17 but has been held to four and three respectively in its first two games this season. The Red Flash are 7-for-30 from long range (23.3%) for the season.
• With sophomore big Deivydas Kuzavas in foul trouble all game long, freshman Mark Flagg stepped up to score a career-best eight points to go along with three rebounds and two blocks.
• The Red Flash started 0-2 last season before rattling off three straight wins.
• Saint Francis challenged itself with two tough opponents to open the season. No. 22 Saint Mary's was picked to win the difficult West Coast Conference while San Francisco was picked third in the Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Up Next

Saint Francis plays at Longwood on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 3 p.m.