After enduring an unpleasant 13-17 common season, it solely is smart that Saint Francis (PA) received the Northeast Convention championship in hideous style.
The Crimson Flash secured an unbelievable NCAA Event bid on Tuesday night time with a 46-43 win over tourney 1-seed Central Connecticut (25-7, 14-2 NEC), which entered the convention title sport on a 14-game profitable streak.
Saint Francis (PA)’s 46 factors had been the fewest by a profitable staff in a convention event championship sport since Georgia State scored 38 factors within the 2015 Solar Belt remaining. (h/t Stathead)
Saint Francis (PA) and Central Connecticut mixed to shoot 31% (36-of-116), together with 18.6% (8-of-43) from past the arc. Central Connecticut had a season-high 16 turnovers.
It is the second consecutive heartbreaking finish to the season for the Blue Devils, who have not made the NCAA Event since 2007. Final season, they had been additionally the NEC common season champions however misplaced at dwelling within the convention event, stopping them from snapping their March Insanity drought.
As for Saint Francis (PA) (16-17, 8-8 NEC), the win marks this system’s first NCAA Event look in 34 years and solely the second in program historical past. The Crimson Flash final reached the massive dance in 1991, its third season as an NEC member.
Saint Francis (PA) is No. 308 in NET rankings and No. 317 in KenPom and equally poor in offensive and defensive effectivity. Getting into Tuesday, it was No. 237 within the nation in scoring (71.9 level per sport) and No. 199 in factors allowed (72.5 factors per sport).
In 4 video games in opposition to Quad 1 opponents, Saint Francis (PA) was outscored by a median of 35 factors per sport, together with a 111-57 loss at Related Press No. 11 Maryland (24-7, 14-6 in Huge Ten) on Dec. 17. It started convention play with a 15-point dwelling loss to Central Connecticut and was 5-8 by 13 video games earlier than profitable three consecutive time beyond regulation video games to finish the common season.
Not even a month in the past, Saint Francis (PA) was hardly related in its personal convention. Now, it is season will final for not less than yet one more sport, possible within the First 4 for the correct to play a No. 1 seed subsequent Thursday or Friday.
As dire as issues regarded for the Crimson Flash earlier this season, they’re already certainly one of March’s greatest winners. Now, it is solely a matter of how lengthy the epilogue lasts.
