EMMITSBURG, Md. – Senior Mark Flagg scored 13 points and added a career-best 14 rebounds, but Mount St. Mary's otherwise kept the Saint Francis men's basketball offense at bay, as the Red Flash was defeated 75-57 in Tuesday night's Northeast Conference opener.
 
Junior Myles Thompson, redshirt sophomore Bryce Laskey, and freshman Ronell Giles, Jr. added nine points each for Saint Francis, which fell to the Mountaineers for the first time in three seasons.
 
Mount St. Mary's 75, Saint Francis 57
Records: Saint Francis (1-4, 0-1), Mount St. Mary's (2-3, 1-0)
Location: Knott Arena (Emmitsburg, Md.)
 
COACH KRIMMEL'S COMMENTS
"There are two things our guys learned tonight. One is the sense of urgency you need to play with, especially in a conference game against a really good team. The other is the need to execute. I don't think we executed our game plan.
 
"In game five of the season, it was the worst 40 minutes of basketball we played. We had stretches in each of our previous four games when we played well for a half. But for some reason tonight, after the first 10 minutes, and aside from a stretch in the second half, we weren't able to string together consistent basketball. That's our challenge now is to go back and figure out why."
 
KEY MOMENT

• The Red Flash used a 7-0 run to cut the Mountaineer advantage to 47-41 on a Laskey steal and bucket with 10:27 to play, but Mount St. Mary's responded with a 20-4 run to secure control of the contest down the stretch.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Red Flash knocked down three mid-range jumpers – two from Flagg and one from Laskey – to lead 6-2 at the first media timeout.
• Mount responded with an 11-4 run to take a three-point lead before a three from redshirt junior Tyler Stewart knotted the game at 13 with 9:33 to go in the half.
• The Mountaineers extended their lead to 25-17 on a three-pointer, and after a free throw from Giles, Mount scored the next six to lead 31-18 and prompt a Red Flash timeout with 4:27 to go in the half.
• The Mount advantage ballooned to 33-18, but a 6-for-6 first-half showing at the line from Flagg helped the Red Flash chip away to trail 36-26 at the break.
• The Mountaineers scored the first five out of the locker room to lead 41-26, leading to an SFU timeout 1:16 into the session.
• Saint Francis cut the deficit to 47-41 on a Laskey steal-and-score, but a quick 8-0 run from the hosts extended the Mountaineer lead to 55-41 with 10:27 to play.
• Mount St. Mary's would grow the lead to 20 as it capped off a 20-4 stretch with a jumper with six minutes remaining that gave the home team a 67-45 advantage. The 22-point cushion was the Mountaineers' largest of the night and would stay at least 15 the remainder of the contest.

STATS

• Flagg was 3-for-6 from the field and 7-of-7 from the line to go along with four offensive rebounds and 10 defensive boards.
• Five members of the Red Flash made a three-pointer in the contest: Laskey, Stewart, Thompson, redshirt freshman Luke Ruggery and freshman Maxwell Land.
• Giles led the team with a career-high 33 minutes played.
• The Red Flash was a season-best 92.3% from the free-throw line but only attempted one after halftime.
• Saint Francis shot 37.7% from the field, while Mount St. Mary's was an even 50%.
• The Mountaineers out-rebounded the Red Flash, 35-29.

GAME NOTES

• Saint Francis drops to 34-48 all-time against Mount St. Mary's. The defeat snaps a four-game winning streak over the Mountaineers.
• The double-double was the second of Flagg's career and first since a 17-point, 10-rebound effort in a win over Fairleigh Dickinson as a freshman.
• Flagg made his 100th career appearance in a Red Flash uniform.

UP NEXT 
The Red Flash return to non-conference play to face St. Bonaventure on Saturday. The 2 p.m. game in Olean, New York, can be seen on ESPN+.
 
Follow Saint Francis Men's Basketball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Flash.
 
To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.