After a career-high 22-point performance, Saint Francis University men's basketball freshman Carlos Lopez, Jr. (Egg Harbor, N.J./Egg Harbor Township [Feltrim Academy [Fla.]), became the fourth Red Flash freshman to earn Northeast Conference (NEC) Rookie of the Week for the week of December 25-December 31. It is also the fifth-straight week a Saint Francis player has been named the league's top rookie and the sixth time in eight weeks.
 
Lopez finished the game with a career-high 22 points, including scoring eight of the final 11 points for Saint Francis to secure a 78-76 win against Campbell on Saturday, helping the Red Flash finishing the non-conference slate with five wins for the fourth time under head coach Rob Krimmel. The victory also secured the team's first win against the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) since 2019-20 and the first win against the conference at home since 1996-97. After missing his first 3-point attempt of the game, the freshman made his last six shots from downtown and finished the game 6-for-9 from the floor, 6 of 7 from behind the arc and 4 of 4 from the free throw line. Each of Lopez's final four baskets from 3-point land were when the Red Flash held a one-possession lead and pushed it to a two-possession edge: (36-34, 1:13 first half; 52-49, 10:45 second half; 67-65, 4:52 second half; 72-70, 2:23 second half). In addition, the freshman made two free throws with 51 seconds left to extend the lead to 77-74 and had a big-time assist that resulted with an Eli Wilborn (Middletown, Conn./Middletown [South Kent]) dunk when Lopez was able to push the ball to Wilborn while falling to the ground as the shot clock was going to expire with 9:20 left for a 57-51 lead.
 
Lopez, who has now scored double figures in four of his last five contests, becomes the second player on the team to reach 20 points in a game this season and his 22 points match sophomore Cam Gregory (Accokeek, Md./The Steward School [Va.]) for the most points scored in a game this season. The freshman is averaging 13.8 points per game in his last six games. It is the first time this season a player hit six from downtown and the first since against CCSU on February 24, 2022.
 
Lopez joins fellow freshmen Bobby Rosenberger III (Quakertown, Pa./Perkiomen School) (November 13-19), Eli Wilborn (November 27-December 3, December 4-10, December 18-24), Aaron "Ace" Talbert (Wyandanch, N.Y./Scotland Campus (Pa.) [Combine Academy [N.C.]) (December 11-17) as Red Flash players to earn top rookie honors this year. Four different players to earn the honor in a single year is a Frankie record and ranks second to only Mount St. Mary's, who had five different players receive the accolade in 2018-19. In addition, Saint Francis has earned the NEC Rookie of the Week award in five-straight weeks for the third time in program history after the 2002-03 and 2022-23 squads also received five-straight honors. CCSU also won five-straight recognitions in 2011-12, while that 2018-19 Mount team holds the record with seven-straight top rookie awards. The Loretto program leads the circuit with 14 NEC Rookie of the Week selections in the last two seasons.
 
Lopez and Gregory were also named NEC Prime Performers for the week. Gregory leads the team with five Prime Performers, while Lopez, Rosenberger and Wilborn each have one nod.  
 
Gregory, who had his 22-point game against Niagara on November 25, posted 18 points, three rebounds and two assists in the victory against the Camels. The sophomore came up clutch again down the stretch, registering three free throws to help secure the win in the final 3:37 of the game including a free throw with six seconds left to set the final score.
 
Gregory has scored double figures in five-straight games for the first time in his career and has registered at least 16 points in four of those tilts. The sophomore leads the team with nine 10+ point games this season and 13 in his career. Since the Red Flash made its home debut against Pitt Greensburg on November 20, Gregory has seven 10+ point games, six games with 15+ points and is averaging 15.8 points per game in those nine tilts. He also had three rebounds and two assists.
 
Gregory sits third in the league in minutes played (32.15), sixth in free throw percentage (76.3), and seventh in scoring (13.6).
 
Saint Francis opens up its 43rd season in the Northeast Conference at Sacred Heart on Thursday. Game time is 11 a.m. It is the first time the Red Flash will open up on the road since 2019-20 and will face the Pioneers in the inaugural league game of the year for the second time in program history.