WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> In both Saint Francis games against New Haven in the past week were decided in the final 35 seconds of the game. One week ago, the Chargers hit the game-winner with 33 seconds left, and on Saturday, New Haven hit the decider with nine seconds on the clock to earn a 57-56 win in women's basketball action on Saturday.
>> Gemma Walker paced the Red Flash with 13 points. Aleah James added 11 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, and Shelby Ricks chipped in 10 points.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Bati Assefa hit two free throws with 30.1 seconds left to give the Red Flash a 56-55 edge. The Chargers went down, missed a runner off the glass, but got the rebound and put back with 9.6 seconds left to take a 57-56 lead. 

Saint Francis advanced the ball to its offensive side and slipped and lost the ball with 7.8 seconds left, but James was able to recover the ball on the New Haven side of the court and momentarily lost the ball, but recovered to race back up the court with 2.8 seconds left. James' 3-pointer was to the left of the net and bounced off the backboard as time expired. 

FLASH MOMENTS
The Chargers had a 52-48 advantage with four minutes left in the game before the Loretto team went on an 8-3 run to take the one-point edge on Assefa's two charity tosses. Walker hit a 3-ball with 3:03 and 2:12 on the clock in the comeback attempt. 

Saint Francis used an 11-5 spurt to take an 18-14 lead with 8:38 left in the first half. James and Ricks both had four points in the run.

The Red Flash started the second half on an 8-2 run on treys by Walker and Assefa, and a Sato layup with 7:52 left in the third quarter. 

Ricks, Cassandra Hawthorne, and Walker each had two points in a 6-1 run toward the end of the third quarter to give Saint Francis a 46-44 advantage.

FLASH NUGGETS
 Walker registered double figures for the second-straight game after she had 17 points against Chicago State on Thursday. She averaged 15.0 points per game this week and has five 10+ point games since the start of NEC play.

James stuffed the stat sheet by loading up in points, rebounds, and assists. The boards and assist totals are both the second most in a Red Flash uniform. The graduate student has double figures in four of the last five games and is averaging 12.2 points per game.

After being held under 10 points in her last two games, Ricks returned to double figures for the first time since she had 18 points and 11 rebounds against Chicago State on January 22. It is the 10th time this season she has had 10 points or more in a game.

Hawthorne finished with seven boards to tie James with the team lead on the afternoon. 

Saint Francis won its 399th NEC regular-season game against CCSU on January 17 and has lost the last four games, looking to become the first team in NEC history to reach 400 wins.

NEXT ON TAP
The Red Flash returns to action at home against Mercyhurst on Thursday. Game time is 7 p.m. The game will be the team's breast cancer awareness tilt. Read Full Article