WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Miles Webb (Arlington, Va.) established a new career high, and Chris Moncrief (Turtle Creek, Pa.) matched his career best for Saint Francis in a non-conference men's basketball game against San Francisco on Thursday.
>> Webb finished with 11 points and Moncrief had nine points for the Red Flash.
>> Cam Gregory (Accokeek, Md.) also had 11 points on the night.
>> The Dons defeated the Red Flash, 84-52.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Despite the fact that two legends of the game never faced off in college, it was the second battle between San Francisco's Bill Russell against Saint Francis' Maurice Stokes teams 70 years after the duo left their respective colleges and tangled in the National Basketball Association. Stokes averaged 18.2 points per game for the Royals; Russell averaged 17.4 points per game in 12 games in the NBA against each other. Stokes scored 20-plus five times vs. Russell and the Celtics. Russell had two 20-point games and a 30-point game vs. Stokes and Royals.

Thursday's game was a contest between the young Red Flash and more experienced San Francisco. After Moncrief tied the game at 16 on his third 3-ball of the night, the Dons closed the half on a 24-11 run to go into the locker room with a 40-27 advantage and never looked back on its way to its second win in the series.

FLASH QUOTES
"I just told the team that we have to work on some consistency and consistency with some things off the court, and certainly some consistency with some things on the court. We've shown flashes and glimpses and it's a matter of putting 20 minutes of basketball together. Then let's worry about 25 and then 30 and then get to the point where we can put together 40 minutes of basketball. The thing these guys need to understand is the attention to detail that it takes to win a basketball game. The thing that we are going to continue to work on control the things and get better at things that impact winning a basketball game." – head coach Rob Krimmel on what the team needs to work on to get better

"We knew it was going to be a rough start to the season with the teams we scheduled, but you also find out who we are as a team and the individuals you have in the locker room with your backs against the wall. There is a lot of basketball ahead of us. Our challenge is to take it one day at a time, but be a little bit better each time we step on the court." – Krimmel on the schedule and growing as a team

FLASH MOMENTS
Trailing 5-3, the Red Flash rolled off a 7-3 run to grab its largest lead at 10-8. Webb started the run with a layup at the 17-minute mark. After a Dons basket, Gregory drilled a 3-ball at 16:22 and Carlos Lopez, Jr. (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) converted two free throws at 15:59 for a three-point lead.

San Francisco scored the next four points to retake the lead before Moncrief nailed his second triple of the night at 14:06 to give the Frankies the advantage for the final time at 13-12. The sophomore transfer also started the Saint Francis scoring on the afternoon on a 3-pointer at 17:34 for a quick 3-2 lead and his first points in a Red Flash uniform.

FLASH NUGGETS
Webb notched a career-high 11 points for his first career double-figure point game of his career. The sophomore had 10 total points in four games last season for the Red Flash, including a then career-best eight points against Saint Vincent on December 8, 2022.

Gregory posted his first 10+ point game of the season and the fifth of his career. Gregory, who had a career-best at Ohio State on December 3, 2022, has posted double-digits in points in three of his last four road games dating back to last season.

Moncrief matched his career number of nine points that he set against Indiana State on March 2, 2023, in his final game with the University of Evansville. Moncrief and Webb both stuffed the stat sheet with at least one rebound, steal, assist and block.

Bobby Rosenberger III (Quakertown, Pa.) notched his first career points on a layup with 7:30 left in the second half. Eli Wilborn (Middletown, Conn.) knocked down two free throws with 2:56 on the clock in the second half for his first collegiate points. Braylen Blue (Sun Prairie, Wisc.) then got his first point at the charity stripe with 2:05 remaining. Blue also nailed a 3-pointer with 93 seconds left for his first career made field goal.

Gestin Liberis (Havertown, Pa.), who had a career-high 12 points against UCLA on Monday, tallied five points and a team-best five rebounds against San Francisco.

The Red Flash open the year 0-2 for the fifth time under Krimmel and the 27th time dating back to the 1950-51 campaign.

NEXT TIME OUT
Saint Francis wraps up its three-game West Coast swing at Santa Clara on Saturday. Game time is 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.