Red Flash returns to action with NEC series in Brooklyn
Miles McQuiggan
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Saint Francis men's basketball team returns to action for the first time in 30 days when the Red Flash faces LIU in a two-game set in Brooklyn.
SFU will play for the first time since December 8 when the team takes the court Thursday - a four-week stretch between games that was created by a combination of a covid-19 pause and a pre-scheduled holiday break.
The Series: Saint Francis (1-4, 1-1) at Long Island (1-1, 1-1)
Location: Steinberg Wellness Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Game 1: Thursday, Jan. 7 – 7 p.m.
Game 2: Friday, Jan. 8 – 4 p.m.
Watch: NEC Front Row (Gregg Caserta)
Thursday |
Friday
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Game Notes: Saint Francis
Social Media: Facebook |
Twitter |
Instagram | #NECMBB
SCOUTING THE SHARKS
LIU did not participate in non-conference play and has competed in two games so far this season, splitting an NEC series at Sacred Heart on Dec. 16-17. The Sharks won the first game of the series 75-55 before dropping the second matchup 87-72. Thursday will serve as LIU's first home game since last season's NEC Quarterfinals.
Ty Flowers led the Shark attack with a pair of 20-point performances in the Sacred Heart series, including a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds in the season-opening victory. The Sharks turned over the Pioneers 34 times in the two-game set.
SERIES HISTORY
Thursday's meeting will be the 81st all-time contest between the pair of NEC founding members with the series deadlocked at 40-40. The matchup in the
Rob Krimmel era has reflected the evenly matched series between the conference foes, as the teams are 8-8 since Coach Krimmel's elevation to head coach in 2012-13.
The teams split the season series in 2019-20 with LIU taking a five-point victory in Brooklyn and the Red Flash winning 74-71 on Senior Day in Loretto.
LAST TIME OUT: MOUNT ST. MARY'S 75, SAINT FRANCIS 57
Senior
Mark Flagg scored 13 points and added a career-high 14 rebounds, but the Mountaineers snapped the Red Flash's four-game winning streak in the NEC series on Dec. 8 in Emmitsburg.
A MILESTONE FOR MARK
Senior
Mark Flagg appeared in his 100th career game in a Saint Francis uniform Dec. 8.
Through 100 career games, Flagg has contributed 670 points, 451 rebounds, and 94 blocks. Flagg is six blocks shy of becoming the sixth player in program history to 100.
INTRO TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Red Flash freshmen have played 44.9% of the team's minutes this year against a strength of schedule that ranks in the top 75 nationally.
The backcourt trio of
Maxwell Land,
Zahree Harrison, and
Ronell Giles, Jr. have contributed the majority of that time with Land starting all five games and Harrison making starts against Virginia, Liberty, ans Mount St. Mary's.
Land, Harrison, and Giles are joined by
Josh Cohen,
Jeriah Coleman,
Brad McCabe, and
Luke Ruggery as freshmen to appear in a game this season. All seven have scored in at least one game.
MARK THE MARKSMAN
Senior
Mark Flagg has gone 25-for-39 from the field this season, good for 21st nationally at 64.1%.
Flagg was named NEC Player of the Week Nov. 30 after recording 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while helping the Red Flash to its first win over Pitt in program history.
PRESENT TENS
A year removed from graduating the program's two leading scorers, seven different Saint Francis players have produced a 10-point effort this season.
Senior
Mark Flagg has scored 10+ points in all five games, while redshirt junior
Tyler Stewart, junior
Myles Thompson, and freshman
Maxwell Land all have two games in double figures. Senior
Ramiir Dixon-Conover, redshirt sophomore
Bryce Laskey, and freshman
Ronell Giles, Jr. have each added one.
WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN
The Red Flash has kept its turnover total to 10 or fewer in each of its last three games - something Saint Francis did 15 times a season ago.
SFU committed nine turnovers against Liberty and Mount St. Mary's after totaling 10 at Virginia.
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
The Sharks are one of five NEC teams that rank in the top 100 nationally in KenPom adjusted tempo. LIU is 25th entering the week at 73.6 possessions per game, trailing only next week's Red Flash opponent in Bryant, which plays the fourth-fastest tempo in the nation.
The NEC has been the fifth-fastest league in the nation in conference games.
NEXT UP: BRYANT
The Red Flash will host Bryant for a two-game set in Loretto on Jan. 14-15. The Thursday opener can be seen on ESPN+ with the Friday contest on NEC Front Row.
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To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit
francis.edu.
