"We're kicking off our fun, old-fashioned family Christmas..." - Clark Griswold

• The game between Saint Francis and Robert Morris marks the 90th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 1977-78 season.
• The Colonials lead the series 51-38 including a 23-21 mark in Loretto. However, the Red Flash are riding a six-game winning streak in games at DeGol Arena.
• This will be the first meeting since Robert Morris defeated Saint Francis 72-67 in the Northeast Conference Championship Game on March 10, 2020.
• Head coach Rob Krimmel is 10-8 against the Colonials and the Red Flash have taken 10 of the last 13 tilts in the series.
• With Robert Morris' move to the Horizon League, this will be the first non-conference game between the two teams since 1980-81.

"We're not driving all the way out here so you can get one of those stupid ties with Santa Clauses on it, are we, Dad?" – Audrey Griswold

• Saint Francis has been road warriors this season with eight away games, and the team has taken a bus for each of those road trips. After Illinois, Saint Francis has traveled on a bus for each of its eight road games in non-conference play. The team has covered 2,395 miles to get to each location and 4,790 miles round trip. A comparison would be the miles his team has traveled this year to get to games would almost get his team from Chicago, Ill. to Walley World, which took the Griswold's 2,408 miles to get to the closed amusement park. In the past week alone, the Red Flash traveled 1,914 miles by bus round trip to Hartford and Illinois.

"Eat my road grit, Liver Lips!" – Clark Griswold (a sfu win would...)

• End non-conference schedule with a win
• Finish non-conference play with a 5-6 record, best mark since finishing 2019-20 with a 7-4 mark
• End a two-game losing streak to Robert Morris
• Be the seventh-straight win at DeGol Arena against the Colonials
• Improve to 3-0 at home this season

"Dad, didn't they invent tree lots so people wouldn't have to drive all the way out to nowhere and waste a whole Saturday?" - Rusty Griswold

• Saint Francis will open Northeast Conference play at home against Wagner on December 29 and then will wrap up a three-game homestand against Fairleigh Dickinson two days later.
• The road flash warriors will then hit the road for its second four-game road trip of the season, heading to Brooklyn, N.Y., and New England in the first two weeks of the New Year.

"They made them because people forgot how to have an old-fashioned Christmas and are satisfied with scrawny,over priced trees that have no special meaning. This is what our forefather did." - Clark Griswold

• Robert Morris comes into the contest 1-9 overall after falling 100-74 to Bowling Green on Sunday.
• Matt Mayers paced the Colonials with 15 points against Bowling Green, while Kam Farris (13 points), Justin Winston (11 points) and Enoch Cheeks (10 points) also found double figures.
• Kahliel Spear leads the team in scoring (12.8 ppg.), rebounding (8.1 pg) and blocks (12).
• Farris ranks second on the team with 12.2 points per game, while Rasheem Dunn fuels the team in assists (42) and steals (12), and ranks third with 11.7 points per game.
• Robert Morris' lone win was a 99-51 win against Lancaster Bible on Dec. 8.

"Dad, that thing wouldn't fit in our yard." - Rusty Griswold "It's not going in our yard, Russ. It's going in our living room." - Clark Griswold

• The last time the two teams met was a big occasion. Robert Morris defeated Saint Francis 77-67 in the Northeast Conference Championship Game on March 10, 2020.
• Keith Braxton paced the Red Flash with 22 points and nine rebounds. Isaiah Blackmon added 16 points. 
• Dante Treacy paced the Colonials with 18 points, while Josh Williams (17 points), AJ Bramah (12 points) and Yannis Mendy (12 points) also found double figures.
• The Northeast Conference was one of the few conferences that finished it whole tournament after the whole athletics world was pulled to a halt due to CoVID-19 two days later.

"Hey, Griswold. Where do you think you're gonna put a tree that big?" - Todd Chester

• Saint Francis played its second Power 6 Conference team of the year on Saturday. The Red Flash lost to Illinois 106-48. The Illini, who were not ranked at the time, were moved into the Top-25 of the Stadium over the weekend.
• Sophomore Ronell Giles, Jr. paced Saint Francis  for the second-straight game with 16 points to reach a career-best seven-consecutive games with 10+ points.
• Senior Myles Thompson (12 points) and redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover (10 points) also found double figures.
• Dixon-Conover, Giles and Thompson each hit a 3-pointer in the first two minutes of the game to give the Red Flash a 6-2 and 9-5 leads.

"I give you the Griswold family Christmas tree. There's a lot of sap in here." – Clark Griswold

• Sophomore Ronell Giles, Jr. paced the team in scoring for the second-straight game and the third time in the last seven games.
• Giles, who registered six-straight games in double figures for points to end his freshman campaign, has now a career-high seven-game streak. He has posted at least 16 points in four of the games and is averaging 16.1 points per game during this span. The sophomore also grabbed five rebounds in a game for the fourth time this season with all of those games coming in his last seven tilts. He ranks second on the team in scoring (13.6 ppg.), assists (25) and steals (16).
• Senior Myles Thompson twitter handle is @themktshow and when the senior plays a Power 6 Conference team its a show. The senior has posted at least eight points in six of the nine games in his career against a major opponent including four double-figure games. This season, Thompson has posted at least nine points in seven of the 10 games he played with four 10+ point games to his credit. Since scoring a season-low six points against Cornell on Nov. 24, Thompson has scored at least eight points in his last five games and is averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in that stretch.  
• Giles is second in all those categories on the team to redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover. You never know what you are going to get from Dixon-Conover, but its almost a sure bet that he will give the team at least 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and a couple of steals a game. Saturday against Illinois was the first time Dixon-Conover did not haul in one rebound in 31 games, dating back to Feb. 27, 2020 against Mount St. Mary's. He has posted at least 10 points in eight of nine games, three rebounds in eight games with six games of five or more caroms, three assists in eight games he has played and two steals six times. The redshirt senior leads the team in scoring (13.9 ppg.), assists (36) and steals (21) and ranks third in rebounds (4.8 ppg.)
• Redshirt sophomore Josh Cohen was held to one point and four rebounds against Illinois, snapping a streak of at least eight points and five rebounds in his previous seven games. He also did not make a field goal for the first time in 23 games, and has made at least one field goal in 28 of his 31 games. Cohen is averaging 12.4 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game in his last five games. 
• Saint Francis returns home to Loretto after a four-game road trip. The team has had great success at home this season, going 2-0 and scoring at least 93 points in each game, while holding the opponent to 67 points or less in both games.
• The Red Flash are looking to win its first three games in Loretto to start the season for the sixth time under head coach Rob Krimmel (2014-15 to 2018-19)
• Sophomore Maxwell Land is averaging 7.0 points per game on the road and ranks second with 14.5 points per game at home after posting 19 points against Franciscan on Nov. 15 and 10 points against Bucknell on Dec. 1.

"I'll park the cars and check the luggage and yeah, I'll be outside for the season." – Clark Griswold

• Saint Francis is 336-304-2 against all the teams in the state of Pennsylvania. The Red Flash are 86-234 against NCAA Division I teams and 250-75-2 against non-NCAA Division I teams.
• The squad will play three fellow Keystone state teams this season
• Saint Francis faced Lehigh (W, 79-68) and Bucknell (W, 93-67) with Robert Morris coming to town on Wednesday.
• Head coach Rob Krimmel is 21-18 against the state of Pennsylvania.
• Saint Francis has played its most games against teams from the western part of the state in program history. The Red Flash have tangled with Robert Morris the most in the state with 89 meetings. Duquesne has been on the squad 75 times, Saint Vincent 65 times, Westminster 43 times, Geneva 39 times and Pittsburgh 30 times.

"You think you might be overdoing it?" - Rusty Griswold "When did I last overdo anything?" - Clark Griswold

• Redshirt sophomore Josh Cohen ranks 14th in NCAA Division I in field goal percentage through games on Sunday . Cohen is in the rankings based on three made field goals per game with his 69.2 percent. The redshirt sophomore sat in second place last week for five made field goals per game, but fell out of that ranking after the game against Illinois.
• Redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover ranks 17th in steals with 2.33 thefts per game. He sat two spot above at No. 15 last week.
• The team also ranks in the Top-100 nationally in four categories. The squad is 36th in fewest turnovers (115), 56th in offensive rebounds per game (12.50), 61st in turnover margin (+3.2), 87th in assist to turnover ration (1.18) and ranks  just outside the Top-100 in scoring offense in 106th (75.6 ppg.).

"Obviously something had to break the window! Something had to hit the stereo!" - Todd Chester "And why is the carpet all wet, Todd?" - Margo Chester "I don't know, Margo." - Todd Chester

• The Northeast Conference schedule starts on Dec. 31 at home, and the team has recorded at least four wins in the non-conference schedule for the 14th time since joining the NEC.
• When the team wins at least three non-conference games, the squad has posted at least a .500 record in the circuit in nine of the previous 13 occasions including seven 10-win seasons in league play.
• Under head coach Rob Krimmel, the squad has won at least four non-conference games in 2014-16, and 2017-20. The Loretto program finished 2014-15 and 2015-16 with a 9-9 record, and then won 12  (2017-18, 2018-19) and 13  (2019-20) conference games in that span.
• In 2014-15 and 2017-18 the team participated in the CIT and in 2019-20 advanced to the NEC Championship Game.
• In 2018-19, Saint Francis started the year 4-5 and went on to win the NEC regular season, and play in the conference championship game and the NIT.

"Yeah, last season he was a pixie-dust spreader on the Tilt-O-Whirl. He thinks maybe next year he'll be guessing people's weight or barking for the Yak Woman." - Cousin Eddie

• Redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover leads the circuit in steals (2.33), and ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (2.00), fourth in assists (4.00), seventh in the scoring (13.9 ppg.), eighth in minutes played (31.56), 10th in field goal percentage (47.7).
• Redshirt sophomore Josh Cohen leads the conference in field goal percentage (69.2), and ranks third in the circuit in offensive rebounds (2.50), seventh in rebounding (6.4), ninth in defensive rebounds (4.00) 10th in free throw percentage (75.6), and 14th in scoring (12.1 ppg.).
• Sophomore Ronell Giles, Jr. ranks second minutes played (33.40) and ninth in steals (1.60), ninth in scoring (13.6 ppg.).
• Senior Myles Thompson ranks sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (43.3) and 17th in scoring (11.4 ppg.).
• Saint Francis ranks in the Top-5 in the Northeast Conference in 18 team categories, including pacing the league in scoring offense (75.6 ppg.) and assist/turnover ratio (1.18).
• The Red Flash also ranks second in field goal percentage (44.8), second in offensive rebound percentage (33.4), second in rebound margin (+3.56), second in turnover margin (+3.20), second in offensive rebounds (12.50), third in 3-point field goal percentage (32.9), third scoring margin (-1.9), third rebounding margin (+0.2), fourth in free throw percentage (71.3), fourth in steals (7.90), fourth in defensive rebounding (35.6), fifth in defensive rebound percentage (69.4), fifth in defensive rebounds (24.30), fifth in assists (13.60),  fifth in rebounding offense (36.8) and fifth in field goal defense (44.8).

"Yeah, it sure does. But don't you go falling in love with it now. Because we're taking it with us when we leave here next month." - Cousin Eddie

• There is alot to fall in love with in redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover's game.
•  He has posted double figures in eight of the nine games he has played this season, and has posted double figures in 22 of his last 24 games. He has reached double figures 27 times in his career.
• Dixon-Conover is a stat stuffer and has grabbed five rebounds 21 times in his career including six times this season.
• He also has eight games this season with at least three assists and 42 in his career, and six games with at ;least two steals in 2020-21 and 34 times in his career.
• Dixon-Conover became the sixth player in the nation to register 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in a game against a Division I opponent against Hartford on Dec. 18. He had a career-high six steals in the tilt aganst the Hawks.
• Dixon-Conover has six 20-point performances, including a career-high 23 points against Bucknell on Dec. 1. 
• The redshirt senior has 12 games with 17 points or more in his career.
• Dixon-Conover moved over 500 points in his career with his career-high performance against Bucknell. He needs 45 points to reach 600 points in his career.
• Dixon-Conover also has over 232 rebounds, 208 assists and 103 steals in his career.

"Going for a new amateur recreational saucer-sled land-speed record: Clark W. Griswold Jr.! Remember, don't try this at home, kids. I am a professional. – Clark Griswold

• Redshirt senior Mark Flagg and senior Myles Thompson continue their march up the career charts.
• Flagg ranks third in program history with 109 career blocks. 
• Flagg is now one of six players with 100 blocks, and if he reaches 110 knock aways he would be only the third player in team history with 110 blocks.
•The redshirt senior grabbed his 600th career rebound in the first half against Illinois on Dec. 18, and currently has 601 caroms.
• Flagg has 829 career points, and needs 171 points to reach 1,000 for his career.
• Flagg also needs four assists for 100 helpers.
•Thompson is three points behind Flagg in his march to 1,000 career points.

"I love it here. You don't gotta put on your coat to go to the bathroom. And your house is always parked in the same place." - Ruby Sue

• Saint Francis is 76-47 at DeGol Arena under head coach Rob Krimmel.
• The Red Flash is 50-30 in Northeast Conference play at home, and 26-17 in non-conference action.
• Saint Francis is 2-0 this season at home.
• The Loretto program has registered a winning season at home from 2014 to 2020, and the squad posted at least a non-losing season in each of those campaigns.

"This box is meowing!" – Rusty Griswold

• Redshirt sophomore Josh Cohen notched a career-best 23 points against American on Dec. 8 after establishing a then career-best against Cornell on Nov. 24 and again against Lehigh on Nov. 28. Cohen had a career-best 11 boards against Franciscan on Nov. 15.
• Redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover scored a career-best 23 points against Bucknell on Dec. 1.
• Redshirt sophomore Luke Ruggery posted a career-best nine points against Bucknell, while sophomore Jeriah Coleman had a personal-high seven points and seven rebounds against the Bison on Dec. 1.
• Senior Marlon Hargis has improved his best scoring output in the Red and Black in the last two games. After reaching a then-best 15 points against Virginia Tech on Nov. 18, Hargis scored two more points for 17 points against Cornell on Nov. 24. The senior's career high is 19 points against Harvard on Nov. 22, 2019 when he played for Holy Cross.
• Sophomore Maxwell Land posted a career-high 19 points against Franciscan on Nov. 15. 
• Redshirt senior Mark Flagg hauled in a career-high 17 rebounds against George Washington on November 9.

"Save the neck for me, Clark" – Cousin Eddie

• Freshman Brendan Scanlon, the lone newcomer on the team, notched his first collegiate action against Franciscan on Nov. 15. The freshman registered a pair of rebounds and received a huge ovation when he scored off the glass with 27 seconds left  for his first collegiate points.

"Hey, Gris, if you're not doing anything constructive run into the living room, and get my stogy." – Uncle Lewis

•  Saint Francis is 4-4 this season when it reaches 70 points in a game, and 4-1 when it posted 79 points. 
• Seventy is usually a magic number for success under head coach Rob Krimmel. The squad is 92-49 overall when it posts 70 on the scoreboard, including 42-35 (70-79 points), 38-12 (80-89 points), 12-2 (90-99 points) and 10-0 (over 100 points) in a game.
• The squad is also 105-30 when leading at halftime, and 92-54 when it had more free throws than the opponent. 
• Defensively, the team is 73-31 when it allows under 69 points in a game. This season, the team is 4-0 after allowing 54 points against Franciscan,68 points to Lehigh, 67 points to Bucknell and 66 points against Hartford.

"If that thing had nine lives, she just spent them all." – Cousin Eddie

• Saint Francis was picked eighth in the Northeast Conference preseason poll. Wagner College received seven of the 10 first place votes to be selected as the preseason favorite. Bryant University picked up two first place nods to finish second, while Mount St. Mary's University earned the final first place selection to place fourth. Long Island University, Merrimack College, Sacred Heart University, St. Francis Brooklyn, the Red Flash, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Central Connecticut State rounded out the 10-team poll.

"It's a one-year membership in the Jelly of the Month Club." - Clark Griswold "Clark, that's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year." -Cousin Eddie

• Redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover, senior Myles Thompson and sophomore Luke Ruggery have been named team captains for the 2021-22 season.
• Dixon-Conover and Thompson were also team captains in 2020-21.

"If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here, tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber on Melody Lane with all the other rich people, and I want him right here. With a big ribbon on his head." - Clark Griswold

• Redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover leads the team with six games with at least 20 points in his career. Dixon-Conover registered five 20-point performances in 2020-21 and notched his first one of the season in 2021-22 against Bucknell on Dec. 1.
• Redshirt sophomore Josh Cohen joined the 20-point club after his career-high 23-point outburst against American on Dec. 8. The 23 points matched Dixon-Conover's total for the most points scored in a game this season by a Red Flash player.
• Redshirt seniors Mark Flagg and Tyler Stewart, and senior Myles Thompson both have one 20-point performance in their career. Flagg posted his 20-point game in 2018-19 while Stewart and Thompson both recorded their 20-point game in 2019-20.
• Sophomore Ronell Giles, Jr. posted two 20-point games last year with his career-best 21 points in the first match up against Bryant.

"Where's Eddie? He usually eats these things." - Clark Griswold "Oh, not recently, Clark. He read that squirrels were high in cholesterol" - Catherine

• Redshirt senior Mark Flagg posted double-doubles in his first two games this season, while sophomore Josh Cohen turned the trick against Franciscan on Nov. 15, and against Lehigh on Nov. 28.
• Flagg posted the first double-double of this season with 17 points and 17 rebounds against George Washington on November 9, and followed that performance up with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Franciscan. Cohen had 11 points and a career-best 11 rebounds against Franciscan, and 18 points and 10 rebounds against Lehigh on Nov. 28.
• Flagg now has five double-doubles and Cohen has three double-doubles in their career. Senior Myles Thompson also has three career double-doubles.
• Cohen, Flagg and Thompson each have double-doubles that are points and rebounds. Redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover has two double-doubles in his career, one with points and rebounds and one that is with points and assists against Bryant last season.

"I'm gonna catch it in the coat and smack it with the hammer." – Clark Griswold

• Redshirt senior Mark Flagg has six double-digit rebound games in his career with two coming this season, including a career-high 17 caroms against George Washington on November 9. 
• Sophomore Josh Cohen has two career 10+ rebound games, including a career-best 11 boards against Franciscan and 10 caroms against Lehigh on Nov. 28.
• Senior Myles Thompson ranks second on the team with three 10+ rebound games.

"We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny Kaye." – Clark Griswold

• Head coach Rob Krimmel has assembled a coaching staff with strong ties to Saint Francis.
• Krimmel, a 2000 graduate of Saint Francis, was an Academic All-American.
• Assistant coach Eric Taylor, a 1998 graduate, was a three-time All-NEC selection, ranks 23rd in program history in points (1,287) and fifth in rebounding (967).
• Graduate assistants Ronnie Drinnon, an All-NEC first team selection as a senior and Jamaal King, who was named to the all-conference first team in his last two seasons, both played for Krimmel and also have etched their name into Saint Francis lore. King ranks 10th in program history in points (1,517 points) while Drinnon is 11th in rebounding (804). Drinnon graduated from Saint Francis in 2016 and King graduated in 2019.
• Assistant coach Luke McConnell, a 2012 Saint Francis graduate, played on the Red Flash football team as a student-athlete. McConnell is the son of former Saint Francis men's basketball head coach Tom McConnell (1992-99), while his cousin T.J. McConnell is in his seventh season in the NBA. 

"It's people that make the difference. Little people, like you. So, Carl whatever you got last year add 20 percent." - Mr. Shirley

• The squad returns 91 percent of its minutes, points and rebounds from last year.
• The Red Flash also returns its Top-6 scorers from 2020-21 with redshirt senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover leading the way with 15.5 points per game and senior Myles Thompson ranking second with 10.1 points per game. Redshirt senior Mark Flagg led the team on the boards with 6.0 rebounds per game.

"That ain't the frigging Christmas star. It's a light on the sewage treatment plant." – Uncle Lewis

• Saint Francis has three local players on the team. Senior A.J. Labriola (Altoona), junior Ben Seidel (Johnstown) and redshirt sophomore Luke Ruggery (Duncansville) all hail from within 30 minutes of the Saint Francis campus.