WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Bobby Rosenberger III (Quakertown, Pa.) made a great football pass to Eli Wilborn (Middletown, Pa.) with two seconds. Wilborn got a great shot off as time expired, but the ball bounced off the rim in Saint Francis' 65-63 overtime loss to Wagner in Northeast Conference (NEC) men's basketball action on Thursday.
>> Rosenberger and Wilborn paced the Red Flash with 16 points. Rosenberger had seven rebounds, while Wilborn posted eight boards, two assists, and two steals.
>> It was the first overtime game for the Frankies this season on a night when three of the four league games played an extra session.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Wilborn tied the game to send it to overtime after he made 1 of 2 from the free throw line with 1:43 left in regulation. 

After Wagner grabbed the early lead in the extra session, Aaron "Ace" Talbert (Wyandanch, N.Y.) notched his first basket to tie the game at 59 with 4:14 on the clock. Wilborn gave Saint Francis a 61-59 lead on a layup with 1:50 left. 

The Seahawks then scored four unanswered points to take a 63-61 lead with 23 seconds left. Fouled, Wilborn made his charity tosses to finish the night 4-for-9 from the line to tie the game with eight seconds left.

Wagner then got a Melvin Council, Jr. basket with two seconds left, and despite a valiant effort, the score held up.

FLASH QUOTES
"It was a special night remembering Norm Van Lier and his contributions to our program when he wore the Red Flash uniform. It's a special tradition here at Saint Francis for these guys to look up into the rafters, see three jerseys, and then also the Golden Era plaques that Bob Moore donated as you walk into DeGol Arena. There's a tradition, a story that's being told as a part of the Saint Francis basketball Golden Era with the current players because now they are an extension of guys that paved the way for them. It was an honor to play in front of them tonight." – head coach Rob Krimmel on Norm Van Lier and Golden Era tribute

"I never saw Norm Van Lier play, but listening to the stories, he didn't quit. He played hard at every practice and every game, and I think these guys embody that tonight. But so many things happened throughout that game that put us in a position to win it at the end and tie it late. And I'm proud of how these guys played." – Krimmel on the game

"When I turned, I thought I was closer to the rim than I was, and then I glanced at the clock, and it was like 1.2 seconds, so I just had to get it onto the backboard. I saw it hit like the top corner of the backboard, and most times they go in, but it didn't." – Eli Wilborn on the final play of the game

"That was exactly what we drew up. I threw it up to Eli, and he made a great catch. He got a clean shot up." – Bobby Rosenberger on the last play

FLASH MOMENTS
The Seahawks jumped out to a 22-13 lead with 9:34 left in the first half, but the Red Flash returned to tie it at 28 thanks to a 15-6 run with 2:01 left in the stanza. Rosenberger powered the run with eight points, but Wagner entered the locker room with a 30-28 edge.

Wagner staked out a seven-point lead in the second half with 16:48 left, but the Frankies answered with an 8-0 spurt to take a 41-40 margin with 14:21 remaining in the game. Rosenberger had the first five points before Carlos Lopez, Jr. (Egg Harbor, N.J.) scored the final three points in the run.

The Seahawks took another seven-point lead at 54-47 with 7:10 left. Saint Francis had an answer again with a 9-2 run to knot the game at 57. Wilborn was the catalyst in this run with seven points.

FLASH NUGGETS
Rosenberger, who had a career-high 22 points in his last game against Stonehill on February 10, has scored double figures in three-straight games and is averaging 18.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in that stretch. He has 11 double-figure games this season and six games with at least 15 points. 

Wilborn has double figures in a team-best 15 games this season, including nine times in his last 12 games. The freshman also has at least seven rebounds in nine tilts in that stretch and has 10 assists in his previous three games.

Gestin Liberis (Havertown, Pa.) added nine points, while Lopez finished with eight.

It was the 22nd overtime game under head coach Rob Krimmel and the first since Saint Francis stormed back from a 17-point deficit to defeat Sacred Heart 78-76 in overtime on ESPNU last season on February 9, 2023. It was also the 14th time an overtime game has occurred in Loretto in the previous 12 years, and the last four extra session contests have also taken place at home. It was the second time Saint Francis and Wagner have tangled in overtime in the Krimmel era and the first time since February 9, 2017.   

Saint Francis is 3-4 this season in games decided by one possession, including 1-2 at home. The seven games decided by three points or less in one season is the most under Krimmel.

Wagner was coming off a bye, and the team that had a bye on the weekend's second game was 2-4 in its next game. Both wins are against the Frankies, with CCSU (January 13) and Wagner winning in Loretto.

NEXT UP
Saint Francis returns to action and starts a three-game road trip at FDU on Saturday. Game time is 1 p.m.