Saint Francis University (10-15, 5-7 NEC) at CCSU (18-6, 9-2 NEC)
Date | Time	Saturday, February 15, 2025 | 1:00 p.m.
Location	Loretto, Pa. | DeGol Arena
Television	NEC Front Row
Live Stats	PrestoSports
Printable Notes	Saint Francis | CCSU
Stats	Saint Francis | CCSU | Northeast Conference
Social Media	@RedFlashMBB  | #BELIEVE | @RedFlashMBB | Facebook

 

Saint Francis Probable Starters
Pos.	No.	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	FG%	Note
G	0	Chris Moncrief	6-6	190	Jr.	4.5	2.2	47.8	Posted 12 points, six assists, five boards vs. Le Moyne on 2/6
G	4	Juan Cranford, Jr.	6-3	205	Fr.	9.6	4.1	47.3	Recorded first career double-double at Chicago State
G	5	Daemar Kelly	6-5	195	So.	7.6	3.0	43.1	Shooting 58.6 percent in last six games
G	11	Riley Parker	6-2	195	Jr.	12.7	3.4	47.5	10+ points in seven straight
F	31	Valentino Pinedo	6-8	230	Jr.	10.4	6.7	59.4	Career-high 24 points at Stonehill
Top Players Off the Bench
Pos.	No.	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	FG%	Note
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.	4.2	3.1	60.3	One of three players with a double-double on the road
G	7	Jeremy Clayville	6-0	160	Fr.	8.4	1.6	41.1	Scored road/NEC career-high 17 at Chicago State
G	14	Bobby Rosenberger III	6-5	205	So.	10.0	4.2	41.6	Needs 72 points for 600 for career
G	15	Victor Payne	6-4	190	Fr.	2.3	1.5	40.0	Facing his father's alma mater for first time
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.	1.5	0.8	42.9	Scored a point in three of the six games played
F	32	Aidan Harris	6-7	205	So.	1.7	2.2	53.1	26 rebounds in last nine

SELECT GAME NOTES VS. CCSU (FULL GAME NOTES PDF)

FRANKIES TIDBITS IN A FLASH
• Saturday's game between Saint Francis and CCSU marks the 57th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 1994-95 season. The Blue Devils have won five of the last six meetings in the series to even the all-time series at 28 games apiece.  The last win for the Red Flash in New Britain was a 79-63 decision in 2021-22.
• "The answer is... four? I can't take it no more. I feel like I just gave birth to an accountant." - Thurman Melon in "Back To School." This road trip the Red Flash are currently embarking probably feels like answering one question in 27 parts especially with it taking part of three weekends to complete. The road trip includes games at Chicago State (W, 81-69, February 8), Stonehill (L, 74-79, February 13), CCSU (February 15) and Le Moyne (February 20) This four-game road trip in league play marks the 10th time the Loretto program will play four straight conference games on the road, joining the 1988-89, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2021-22 and 2022-23 teams. The 1999-00, 2021-22 and 2022-23 trips also including a pair of games in New England. The win at Chicago State to open the road trip was only the second in team history the team won the first game in a a four-game road trip. The team has not won more than one game during a four-game conference road trip in program history.
• Since Stonehill joined the Northeast Conference, Saint Francis has struggled with the New England swing, losing its last 11 games in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The last win in the most eastern part of the NEC was a 79-63 win against CCSU on February 24, 2022. In head coach Rob Krimmel's first nine seasons, the Frankies won at least one game in New England, including when Bryant was in the circuit.
• "Well, I'll tell you. As much trouble as I've had on this little journey, I'm sure one day I'm going to look back and laugh." Neal from "Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Neal and Del had a great adventure trying to get home for Thanksgiving that is hard to believe. The interesting travel schedule for the Red Flash began when Saint Francis played at FDU, LIU, and Wagner in its three-game road trip earlier this year. 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 for games against LIU (January 18) and Wagner (January 20). The two-week round trip covered 1,202 miles, 18 hours, and 25 minutes. Now, the Red Flash are in the midst of a four-game road trip that started at the school located the furthest west (Chicago State) in the Northeast Conference and will now head to the school located the furthest east (Stonehill). Saint Francis returned from its trip against the Cougars on Sunday night and began the trek to Stonehill on Tuesday. After the two games in New England, the team will return to Saint Francis on February 15 and then head back on the road to Syracuse to face Le Moyne. This road trip encompasses 2,688 miles, which is only 1,183 miles less than the team traveled for nine non-conference games (3,871 miles).
• The team will then have its final two games of the regular season at home.

AN SFU WIN WOULD
• Be the first time in 11 tries the Red Flash posts two wins in a four-game road trip
• End a four-game losing streak against the Blue Devils
• Earn the season-series split with CCSU
• Be the team's first win in New Britain since 2022
• End a 11-game losing streak in New England
• Notch its fourth win on the road and second on the current road trip

ABOUT THE BLUE DEVILS
• CCSU comes into the contest 18-6 overall and 9-2 in NEC play after defeating Mercyhurst 73-63 on Thursday.  The Blue Devils are 8-2 at home overall and 3-2 in NEC games, but have won their last three at Detrick Gymnasium.
• Jordan Jones paced the Blue Devils 19 points against the Lakers, while Jayden Brown (16 points), Devin Haid (11 points) and Darin Smith, Jr. (11 points) also posted double figures.  
• Jones leads the team with 13.6 points per game, while Haid (13.2 ppg.) and Brown (10.7 ppg.) also average double figures. Jones also powers the team in assists (81) and steals (39), while Abdul Momoh paces the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg.) and blocks (31).

LAST TIME WE MET
• CCSU defeated Saint Francis 74-59 in the NEC opener for both teams on January 3 in Loretto.
• Juniors Riley Parker and Valentino Pinedo each had 12 points to lead the Red Flash. 
• Jordan Jones fueled the Blue Devils with 26 points, while Devin Haid added 18 points. 

LAST TIME OUT
• Saint Francis lost 79-74 at Stonehill on Thursday.
• Junior Valentino Pinedo registered a career-high 24 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Daemar Kelly (12 points) and junior Riley Parker (10 points) also found double figures.

TRENDING UP
• "Everything isn't like home. If everything were like home there'd be no reason for leaving. Right?" Clark Griswold, Vacation (1983). Saint Francis will head to CCSU for the second straight year with a kid from a neighboring town, but this time, he has a more significant connection to CCSU. Freshman Victor Payne's father played at CCSU from 1996-00, also the same years that Saint Francis head coach Rob Krimmel, played for the Red Flash. Payne helped the Blue Devils to their first NEC title in 2000. The younger Payne, who shares the same first and last name as the elder Payne but has a different middle name (so you can't be like Sean Connery and call him junior like in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." We didn't not check with him to see if one he had a dog, or what his name was... could be bingo), is coming off his best game in NEC play after posting seven points and four rebounds against Stonehill on February 13. The output was also the most points the freshman has scored against an NCAA Division I opponent. Payne played at Cromwell High School's and finished career with 1,629 career points to rank second all-time at the school. Payne and fellow Saint Francis freshman Jeremy Clayville are two players with parents with ties to the NEC. Clayville's mother played at FDU from 1988-92 and was a Knights' only two championship team member.
• Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown horse, was born on this day in 1974. Junior Riley Parker continues to be one of the Red Flash's top horses this season and has registered double figures in seven straight games, a new career high. It also ties freshman Juan Cranford, Jr. for this season's longest 10+ point streak. Cranford turned the trick in the final seven games of the non-conference slate. The junior, who had 10+ in five straight games twice earlier this season, is averaging 16.3 points per game in his current streak. The only game Parker did not register double figures in 12 conference games was at LIU on January 18, and have five games with at least 18 points, including a career-high in the January 24 meeting against the Sharks in Loretto.
• Did you know that on this date in 1932, Eddie Eagan became the only Olympian to win gold medals in the summer and winter games in different sports? He was a member of the four-man bobsleigh team in 1932 after winning gold as a boxer in the 1920 games. It is not as exclusive company, but junior Valentino Pinedo became the fifth player to register a 20-point game with his 24 points at Stonehill. It was also the second most points scored this season to Parker's 29 against LIU and the most on the road. Pinedo has registered double figures in nine of the 12 games this season in the circuit and registered a home high of 18 points against Mercyhurst on January 30. He has also grabbed at least seven boards eight times in NEC play.
• "Basically, I only play one character; I just play him at different volumes." - Chris Farley. Sophomore Daemar Kelly has been at a different volume in his last six games, registering five double-figure point games in that stretch, including back-to-back career-high performances of 14 points against Mercyhurst on January 30 and  Le Moyne on February 6. During this streak, Kelly is shooting 58.6 percent (27-for-46) from the floor and 57.8 percent (11-for-19) from behind the arc in this stretch. NOTE: Happy heavenly birthday to Farley, who was born on February 15, 1964.
• "You know, these numbers almost add up to nine here. I like that. That's a good omen." - Rocky Balboa in "Rocky II." Freshman Juan Cranford, Jr. did better than nine in two categories and almost hit that mark in a third category after finishing the game at Chicago State with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Cranford became the second freshman to register a double-double in NEC play and the seven dimes were the most by a freshman in a league game this season. Since conference play began, the freshman has grabbed at least five rebounds eight times, including each of his last four tilts. He has also seen an uptick in assists with six multiple-assist games, including 12 in his last two contests. Cranford tallied his first 10+ point game in the league against FDU on January 12, and he is averaging 10.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in his last eight games.
• Analytics with Ryan Peters: Saint Francis offense picked a good time to have a stellar week, as the Red Flash dropped 1.19 points per possession and a 64.8 percent effective field goal percentage in two victories over Le Moyne and Chicago State. Three-point shooting, in particular, was lethal, as the team made 11 triples in both games, the first time they have hit that mark against a DI opponent this season. For the season, the Red Flash are in the top 72 percentile of all college basketball in jump-shot proficiency, converting 43 percent of their two-point jumpers and 34 percent of their three-point jumpers.

RED FLASH STATE OF THE NEC
• With the 79-74 loss at Stonehill, Saint Francis and Skyhawks have flipped flopped positions. Stonehill is now 5-6 and a half-game ahead of the Red Flash in the loss column but also has the tiebreaker after taking both tilts this season. If the tournament began today, Saint Francis would return to Stonehill for the quarterfinals. 
• CCSU, the opponent on Saturday, is the current clubhouse leader at 9-2, two and half games ahead of LIU (8-4), while FDU is in third at 7-4. The Red Flash defeated FDU 75-71 earlier this year.
• Chicago State also sits at 4-7, while Wagner is 4-8 and Le Moyne is 3-8.
• The Red Flash close the season at home against FDU (February 22) and Chicago State (March 1). 
• Against the field, Saint Francis holds these records for the NEC: CCSU (0-1), LIU (1-1), FDU (1-0), Mercyhurst (1-1), Stonehill (0-2), Chicago State (1-0), Wagner (0-2) and Le Moyne (1-0).
• While Mercyhurst is not eligible for the postseason, the Lakers can still impact the tournament. The regular season games against Mercyhurst count in the standings and are included in tiebreaker scenarios if it comes down to it. 

ON THIS DATE
• Saint Francis is 16-9-1 on this date, holding a 7-5 record on the road and 7-5 in Northeast Conference play.
• This will be the second time the Red Flash and CCSU will battle on this date, but this will be the first meeting in New Britain. Saint Francis defeated the Blue Devils 77-71 in overtime at DeGol Arena on this date in 2018. Keith Braxton scored 11 points in the extra session, including going 6-for-6 in the final 50 seconds, and gave the Frankies the lead for good. Braxton finished the game with 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Jamal King (26 points) and Andre Wofford (10 points) also registered double figures. King sent the game to overtime with a 3-pointer with five seconds on the regulation clock. Tyler Kohl (28 points, 13 rebounds) and Austin Nehls had double figures for the Blue Devils.
FUN FACTS
• Saint Francis has finished a game twice in program history. The last time the Frankies ended in a standstill against an opponent was on this date in 1946, the third game coached by legendary head coach Dr. William "Skip" Hughes. Saint Francis ended in a 62-all result against nearby Juniata. The only other time a winner was not declared on the hardwood was a 32-all result in 1943, the only season coached by the Rev. Terrence Burns, T.O.R. Also of note that season, the team played four games before the United States entry into World War II canceled the rest of the season.
• In modern times, Saint Francis has won the last four road games on this date and had a five-game winning streak before Wagner defeated the Red Flash 65-63 in 2024.