If you know the story about the last meeting in Loretto, you know that Wagner returned from a 19-point deficit to win the game 68-66 on January 26. With Saint Francis up 47-35 with 7:40 left, the Seahawks went on a 20-8 run to tie the game with 12 seconds remaining. Enter Mr. Parker to put on his superpowers and get fouled attempting a 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the game, and then knock down all three freebies for the difference in the game.
"Wagner is well-coached and talented and the defending NEC champion. We knew what kind of game this was going to be. It was going to be competitive down to the very last possession, but our guys, over the last month, had grown up. They have developed some composure and confidence in themselves and each other. I thought we've done a really good job in the last couple of weeks taking that step of believing in each other and trusting that we follow the scouting report, we do what we do, and rebound the basketball we'll put ourselves in a position to win the basketball game."
"At the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half that's where we won the game—Daemar's steal and dunk, and then Riley's three. We came out at the start of the second half and won that first media, and I thought that gave our guys some confidence. Riley made the big free throws and the plays down the stretch we needed to make."
"Just make the right play. I work on those shots multiple times a day, and then my team puts me in the right position. We knew that situation would come again, and we executed down the stretch. So I'm very proud of my guys the way we executed." -
"We told these guys that tonight would be the toughest game they played. Guess what? Saturday is going to be even tougher because it's going to be more critical for them to be composed and to minimize the mistakes. We have to make sure that we execute the game plan. Play harder than our opponent for 40 minutes. If we do those things, I'll lay my head down at night and know that we put everything out there to try to win a basketball game."
FLASH MOMENTS
Trailing 10-8 with 12:24 left in the first half, the Frankies used a 13-4 run to take a 21-14 lead with 5:20 left in the stanza.
Bobby Rosenberger III had four points, while Kelly and Cranford each hit a triple in the surge.
Wagner responded to take a 25-23 lead before the Red Flash scored the final five points of the half. Kelly stole the ball, went down, and slammed it home to tie the game at 25. Pa ker then registered a steal and heaved the ball, but the bank still took deposits at this time of night as time expired to give Saint Francis a three-point lead at the break.
Holding a 33-31 edge with 15:09 on the clock, Saint Francis used a 14-4 run to take its largest lead at 47-35 with 7:40 remaining. Kelly, Parker, Cranford, and Rosenberger each had three points in this stretch.
Wagner then had a furious comeback attempt only to see Parker send the Red Flash into the NEC Semifinals for the seventh time under head coach
Rob Krimmel and the eighth time overall.
FLASH NUGGETS
Parker, an All-NEC first-team selection, posted double figures in his fourth straight game and 21st time this season. His mother, Natasha, and stepfather, Ryan, stayed for the second-straight game to see Parker come through in the clutch again.
Kelly continues his scoring streak of 10+ point games with his ninth consecutive game and 10 in the last 11 tilts. The Frankies are 6-3 in their last nine games.
Cranford, the NEC Rookie of the Year, became the third Saint Francis NEC Rookie of the Year to post double figures in the NEC Quarterfinals. Dashan Luckey had 14 points against Quinnipiac on March 3, 2003, while Keith Braxton had 22 points and 10 rebounds against Bryant on March 1, 2017. Yesterday also marked the eighth anniversary of Braxton's shot against Wagner to propel the Red Flash to a 71-70 win.
Saint Francis won its fourth-straight NEC Quarterfinals home game. The Red Flash also beat a team that had swept the season series in the NEC Quarterfinals for the first time in seven tries. Krimmel won his 10th NEC Tournament game to become the 12th coach to reach double-figure wins in the league postseason.
The game did not go into overtime to end three straight extra session games for the Frankies and avoid tying an NCAA record for consecutive overtime games.
Saint Francis will battle LIU for the fifth time in the postseason, but the second time in the NEC Semifinals. The Red Flash defeated the then Blackbirds 103-79 in the 8/9 play-in game on February 28, 1994, but then lost in the quarterfinals to the Brooklyn program 76-67 on March 3, 2005, and 90-75 on March 3, 2011. The Frankies defeated LIU at DeGol Arena in 72-64 on March 9, 2020 in the NEC Semifinals.
The two teams split the regular season matchups, with LIU taking a 64-51 win on January 18 in Brooklyn and the Red Flash defeating the Sharks 74-64 six days later in Loretto.
NEXT ON TAP
The game will air live via ESPN+, YES Network, SportsNet Pittsburgh, and NEC Front Row. Craig D'Amico and Ryan Peters will have the call.
