SFU Postgame Quotes | LIU Brooklyn Postgame Quotes | LIU Postgame Video | SFU Postgame Video

Loretto, Pa. - NEC Player of the Year Keith Braxton (Glassboro, N.J./Delsea) backed up his accolades with a dazzling performance in the NEC Semifinals, leading Saint Francis back to the NEC Title Game with 19 points and 14 rebounds. The Red Flash appeared in the NEC Championship in 2016-17, a loss at Mount St. Mary's, but hasn't hosted the championship game since the 1990-91 season, its first and only NEC Title.

Krimmel's Reaction

"First off, I would like to congratulate LIU Brooklyn on a great season. They are a talented and well-coached team. We got the lead on them but they kept coming at us. I am proud of how the group responded and kept focused. We certainly earned the opportunity to play for a title Tuesday night."

Turning Point

Saint Francis trailed 17-13 at the under-8 media timeout of the first half before closing on a 17-7 run. Saint Francis carried over the momentum into the second half, scoring 13 of the first 16 points to build a 45-27 lead with 15:05 to go. The Blackbirds fought back to pull within five at 48-43 with 11:19 remaining but redshirt junuior Isaiah Blackmon (Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte), who became the 42nd 1,000 point scorer in school history earlier in the game, answered with a runner off the glass. It was followed by a jumper from freshman Myles Thompson (Camden, N.J./Camden) and the Red Flash never relinquished its second half lead.

Inside the Box Score

• Saint Francis went 23-of-52 (43.4%) from the field while LIU Brooklyn made 22-of-61 (36.1) field goals.
• LIU Brooklyn connected on 13-of-34 (38.2%) three-pointers while SFU was just 1-of-6 (16.7%). The one three was its fewest since at leadt the 2010-11 season.
• Saint Francis went 25-of-31 (80.6%) from the free throw line. The Blackbirds hit 7-of-12 (58.3%).
• Saint Francis pulled down 40 rebounds to 36 for LIU Brooklyn.
• The Red Flash committed just seven turnovers to LIU Brooklyn's 11. 
• Saint Francis crushed LIU Brooklyn in the paint, 40-18.

Notes

• Blackmon becomes the 42nd player to score 1,000 career points and the third on the current team, joining Braxton and senior Jamaal King (Salisbury, Md./Bishop O'Connell (Va.)).
• King was the second-high scorer behind Braxton with 15 points.
• Blackmon added 12 points and six rebounds.
• Freshman Myles Thompson (Camden, N.J./Camden) provided a spark off the bench with 11 points, his most since scoring 11 vs. Sacred Heart on Jan. 26.
• The parallels to the 1990-91 season continue to pile up. Saint Francis will host the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, just as it did in 1990-91. Ironically, the teams also shared the regular-season title that season with SFU winning the tiebreaker.
• Tuesday night will be SFU's third title appearance. The Red Flash are 1-1.
• SFU recorded its 18th win, tying its season total from last season. 
• Braxton's double-double was his 12th of the season and his 36th of his career.
• The Red Flash are 9-3 all-time in playoff games in DeGol Arena and 12-3 this season at home.

Up Next 

Saint Francis hosts second-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson in the NEC Championship on Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. SFU and FDU shared the regular-season title with 12-6 records and split the season series at one game apiece.