| Saint Francis Probable Starters |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
FG% |
Note |
| G |
5 |
Daemar Kelly |
6-5 |
195 |
So. |
6.0 |
2.6 |
37.5 |
Nine points, five rebounds vs. FDU |
| G |
7 |
Jeremy Clayville |
6-0 |
160 |
Fr. |
9.5 |
1.9 |
43.6 |
NEC Rookie of the Week |
| G |
11 |
Riley Parker |
6-2 |
195 |
Jr. |
11.6 |
3.7 |
48.3 |
Averaging 16.6 ppg in last five games |
| G |
14 |
Bobby Rosenberger III |
6-5 |
205 |
So. |
12.1 |
4.8 |
44.4 |
Averaging 18.7 ppg against LIU last year |
| F |
31 |
Valentino Pinedo |
6-8 |
230 |
Jr. |
9.5 |
6.5 |
53.7 |
Averaging 11.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg in NEC play |
| Top Players Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
FG% |
Note |
| G |
0 |
Chris Moncrief |
6-6 |
190 |
Jr. |
3.4 |
2.2 |
44.7 |
Missed last two games |
| G |
2 |
Ace Talbert |
6-0 |
185 |
So. |
10.2 |
2.8 |
35.4 |
Averaging 12.8 ppg in last four games played |
| F |
3 |
Miles Webb |
6-8 |
190 |
Jr. |
5.4 |
3.8 |
59.7 |
Leads team in field goal percentage |
| G |
4 |
Juan Cranford, Jr. |
6-3 |
205 |
Fr. |
9.6 |
3.4 |
52.1 |
10+ points in last four road games |
| G |
15 |
Victor Payne |
6-4 |
190 |
Fr. |
2.3 |
1.4 |
38.7 |
Sealed FDU win with three free throws |
| F |
21 |
Gestin Liberis |
6-9 |
225 |
Jr. |
--- |
--- |
--- |
Averaged 11.0 ppg and 7.7 rpg in last four games played |
| G |
23 |
Wisler Sanon II |
6-4 |
190 |
Jr. |
--- |
--- |
--- |
Averaging 10.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg in last two games played |
| F |
32 |
Aidan Harris |
6-7 |
205 |
So. |
1.7 |
3.3 |
66.7 |
Played season-high 15 minutes in last two tilts |
SELECT GAME NOTES VS. LIU (FULL GAME NOTES PDF)
FRANKIES TIDBITS IN A FLASH
• Saturday's game between Saint Francis and LIU marks the 89th meeting in the all-time series, dating back to the 1963-64 season. Despite the Frankies winning three of the last four tilts against the Brooklyn program, the Sharks lead the series 45-43.
• The two teams split last year's season series, with the home team winning both tilts. The 79-67 LIU win on February 3, 2024, ended a three-game winning streak by the Frankies in the series. It was the first time since 2003-05 that Saint Francis won three consecutive games against the Sharks.
• LIU leads the series 28-12 in Brooklyn with a 14-4 record at the Wellness Center and a 14-8 record at the old historic Paramount Theatre. Like many players and coaches who played in the Paramount, Saint Francis head coach
Rob Krimmel was a huge fan of the old home of the then-nicknamed Blackbirds.
• The next two weeks almost rival the old NEC Rivalry Week it staged from 2009-11. Saint Francis will play both LIU and Wagner twice in 14 days. It is the second time in Red Flash NEC history that it will complete a series with two teams in back-to-back weeks. In 2009-10, Saint Francis completed its season series with Monmouth and FDU, and in 2017-18, with Wagner and Sacred Heart in consecutive weeks. The Frankies have also played a team twice in a seven-day span in 1989-90 (Wagner), 2000-01 (St. Francis Brooklyn and Quinnipiac), 2002-03 (Monmouth), 2014-15 (FDU), and 2022-23 (Merrimack). We are discounting the 2021-22 year.
• The Frankies are 2-2 in NEC play for the 15th time in team history, the first time since the 2018-19 season, and the fourth time under Krimmel. The 2022-23 team started 4-0, and the 2019-20 squad was 3-1 for the top two starts under Krimmel. With a win, the Red Flash will be 3-2 in league play for the 14th time in program history and the first time since the 2018-19 campaign. Krimmel's Flash has started 3-2 in NEC play three times (2015-16, 2016-17, 2018-19).
• Saint Francis has won back-to-back NEC games for the first time since defeating St. Francis Brooklyn 72-64 on February 16, 2023, and LIU 93-82 on February 18, 2023. It is the first two-game winning streak overall since defeating Lehigh 63-62 on November 29, 2023, and American 75-73 on December 2, 2023. The last time the Frankies won three games in a row was the two games in Brooklyn listed above, along with an 82-72 win at home against FDU on February 23, 2023.
• The last three road wins prior to the 75-71 win at FDU on January 12 were by a combined four points: Lehigh (one point), American (two points), and Campbell (65-54, November 10, 2024).
• Saint Francis is playing FDU, LIU, and Wagner in its three-game road trip. The three schools are separated by just 31.8 miles and an hour and two minutes trip (in good traffic) to hit all three schools. However, the Red Flash traveled to FDU on January 12 and returned to Loretto before making its trek back up to the area this weekend. The two-week round trip covers 1,202 miles, 18 hours, and 25 minutes.
• When the road trip is over, the Red Flash will host LIU (January 24) and Wagner (January 26) at home before wrapping up the month at Mercyhurst (January 30).
AN SFU WIN WOULD
• Mark the first time the Red Flash has won three in a row since winning the winning three of the last four NEC games in 2022-23
• Be the team's first road win on January 18 in NEC play and the first win away from Loretto on this date since a 95-71 win at Saint Vincent in 1971 (four games)
• Give the Red Flash a 3-2 record and the first winning record through five league games since 2022-23
• Surpass last year's road win total
ABOUT THE SHARKS
• LIU comes into the contest 8-11 overall and 4-0 in NEC play after defeating NEC preseason favorite CCSU 54-52 on Sunday.
• The Sharks register a 204 ranking for its non-conference schedule after playing two quadrant one teams, three quadrant three teams, and eight quadrant four programs. LIU's best non-conference victory was a 79-76 win at Charlotte, ranked 278, on November 23. The win against the Blue Devils on Sunday is the Shark's best victory, with a 187 ranking in quad three.
• Malachi Davis and Terell Strickland paced LIU against CCSU with 12 points apiece.
• Davis, a transfer from Arizona State, leads the team with 17.3 points per game and 31 steals. Jamal Fuller is second on the team, with 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Strickland powers the team in assists (88), and Shadrak Lasu leads the team in rebounding (6.6 rpg.).
LAST TIME WE MET
• Each team won on its home floor in 2023-24, with Saint Francis taking a 72-66 decision on January 19, 2024 in Loretto and LIU earning the split thanks to a 70-67 win on February 3, 2024 in Brooklyn.
• Bobby Rosenberger III paced the Red Flash in a win at DeGol Arena with 21 points and nine rebounds. Eli Wilborn added 19 points, and Cam Gregory scored 18 points. Tana Kopa powered the Sharks with 20 points, while Tai Strickland (17 points) and R.J. Greene (10 points) also had double figures.
• Rosenberger was the high scorer for Saint Francis in the February 3 meeting with 16 points. Carlos Lopez, Jr. (15 points), Wilborn (13 points) and Aidan Harris (11 rebounds) also had 10+ in an offensive category. Kopa (19 points), Greene (11 points), Andre Washington (11 points) and Jason Steele (10 rebounds) each had 10+ for the Sharks.
LAST TIME OUT
• Freshmen
Jeremy Clayville and
Juan Cranford, Jr. combined for 20 points in a decisive 25-14 run in the second half. Saint Francis withstood a furious comeback attempt by FDU to earn a 75-71 win on Sunday.
• Cranford registered his first nine points, including the go-ahead basket, while Clayville recorded 11 points in the spurt.
• Clayville finished with 13 points and four assists in the same place his mother, Sue Steele, won two NEC Championships for the Knights women's basketball team in 1990 and 1992.
• Cranford ended with 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while junior
Riley Parker paced the Red Flash with 18 points .
• The Red Flash scored 23 points off the pick-and-roll in the win.
TRENDING UP
• For the second time this season, junior
Riley Parker has scored double figures in five in a row. In both five-game streaks Parker averaged 16.6 points per game. The five-gamer from November 20-December 4 was narrowly stopped after he finished with nine points at Niagara on December 14. His second streak almost started against Franciscan on December 19 after he finished with nine points against the Barons. The junior is looking to score 10+ points in six consecutive games for the first time in his career.
• Almost every time freshman
Jeremy Clayville posts a 10-point game, another one has followed. For the third time in his career, the freshman has registered consecutive 10-point games. Clayville averaged 15.0 points per game in his last two games, which matches his best two-game scoring average this season. The freshman had 17 points against Mercyhurst on January 10 and 13 points in front of 100 friends and family at FDU two days later. The other time he registered this average was when he had nine points at Mount St. Mary's on November 16 and a career-high 21 points against Penn State Schuylkill on November 20. That was also the only time he did not have consecutive games in double figures.
• Freshman
Juan Cranford, Jr. averages 12.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in his last two games. The freshman has five rebounds five times this season and the Red Flash is 4-1 when he reaches that total off the glass. The team is also 4-0 when he has at least nine points and five rebounds. Cranford is averaging 18.0 points per game in his last three road games thanks to posting a career-high 21 points at Maryland on December 17 and 19 points at Robert Morris on December 21 before his 14 points against FDU.
• Except Cranford's seven-gamer, scoring streaks must stop at five games for the Frankies in 2024-25. Sophomore
Bobby Rosenberger III had one to start the season, and junior
Valentino Pinedo had his 10+ point scoring streak halted at FDU after reaching double figures in his last five. The junior averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game since he fully returned to the rotation against Franciscan.
ON THIS DATE
• Saint Francis is 12-15 on this date, including 3-7 on the road and 3-9 in Northeast Conference play
• It will be the second time Saint Francis will face LIU on this date after falling 86-85 at the Paramount Theatre in 1986.
• Keith Braxton registered 24 points and 10 rebounds to lift Saint Francis past Sacred Heart 72-65 on this date in 2020. Isaiah Blackmon added 18 points and Tyler Stewart chipped in 10 points,.
(NO SO) FUN FACTS
• The win against Sacred Heart in 2020 ended an 11-game losing streak on this date, but the Red Flash has lost all four NEC road games played on this date (1986, 1992, 2003, 2018).
• The Frankies have lost by one point on this date three times: 1986 (LIU, 86-85), 2003 (CCSU, 68-67), 2015 (St. Francis Brooklyn, 60-59).
• Saint Francis is 1-7 in games that are decided by three points are less. Along with the three games listed above: 1951 (L, 67-70, at Waynesburg), 1960 (L, 79-82 at Ohio U), 1965 (L, 78-90, Franciscan), 1988 (L, 59-61, Penn), 1990 (W, 80-77, Marist).
