After enduring an unpleasant 13-17 common season, it solely is sensible that Saint Francis (PA) received the Northeast Convention championship in hideous vogue.
The Purple Flash secured an inconceivable NCAA Event bid on Tuesday evening with a 46-43 win over tourney 1-seed Central Connecticut (25-7, 14-2 NEC), which entered the convention title recreation on a 14-game successful streak.
Saint Francis (PA)’s 46 factors have been the fewest by a successful crew in a convention event championship recreation 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 have been additionally the NEC common season champions however misplaced at residence 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 Purple 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 recreation) and No. 199 in factors allowed (72.5 factors per recreation).
In 4 video games towards Quad 1 opponents, Saint Francis (PA) was outscored by a median of 35 factors per recreation, 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 residence loss to Central Connecticut and was 5-8 via 13 video games earlier than successful three consecutive extra time 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 another recreation, probably within the First 4 for the best to play a No. 1 seed subsequent Thursday or Friday.
As dire as issues seemed for the Purple Flash earlier this season, they’re already certainly one of March’s largest winners. Now, it is solely a matter of how lengthy the epilogue lasts.
