WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis stumbles in the first round of the Geico Coconut Hoops Royal Palms Division to Belmont in non-conference men's basketball action on Monday.
>> Ahmad Harrison paced the Red Flash with a season-high 17 points.
>> Skylar Wicks posted 16 points and seven rebounds.
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Belmont took the lead it would not relinquish with 17:44 left in the first half. The Red Flash put a little bit of a scare in the Bruins with an 11-0 run to end the first half to trim the margin to eight points before Belmont pulled away in the second half for a 94-57 decision in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
FLASH MOMENTS
Saint Francis ended the first half on an 11-0 run to close the gap to 36-28 going into the locker room.
Wicks started the run with back-to-back baskets with 3:19 and 2:26 left in the half. Ralph Martino, Jr. converted a traditional 3-point play, and Wicks added his third basket in the surge with 65 seconds left in the stanza. Harrison converted his own steal to a baseline layup with 22 seconds on the clock.
The Red Flash started the game by scoring five of the first eight points for a 5-3 lead. Victor Payne drained a 3-pointer 62 seconds into the game to start the scoring, and Wicks hit a jumper with 18:21 on the clock to give Saint Francis its final lead at 5-3.
Trailing 15-7, the Frankies used an 8-3 surge to trim the margin to 18-15 with 11:39 left in the opening frame. Harrison powered the spurt with five points, while Brandon Russell knocked down his first collegiate trey at 12:14.
FLASH NUGGETS
Harrison registered a season-high 17 points on Monday and posted his second-straight 10+ point game after he scored 11 points against Lehigh on November 18. The senior also had three steals for the second-straight game.
Wicks has posted at least 15 points and five rebounds in all five games this season. Coming off consecutive double-doubles, the redshirt senior is averaging 18.7 points and 10.7 points in his last three tilts.
Martino finished with seven points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. The points and rebound totals matched his season high, while the assists and steals were a career best.
Russell also matched his career high with six points after he also had six points in his collegiate debut against Oklahoma on November 3. He did his damage on Monday with his first two baskets from downtown.
NEXT ON TAP
Saint Francis returns to action in the consolation game of the Geico Coconut Hoops Royal Palms Division against Troy on Wednesday. Game time is 11 a.m. Troy lost to Toledo 75-68 in the first game of the day. It will be the first meeting between the Red Flash and the Trojans.
