NEW YORK (Interstat) — Saint Francis (PA) held off Wagner 71-69 in a men’s NCAA Division I game Thursday night at Spiro Sports Center. The Red Flash led 39-37 at halftime and matched the Seahawks point-for-point in the second half to secure the road victory. Chris Moncrief led Saint Francis with 15 points, while Ahmad Harrison added 16. John Awoke paced Wagner with 12 points. The Red Flash improved to 4-12, while the Seahawks fell to 6-8. Saint Francis prevailed despite being outrebounded and shooting worse from the floor, offsetting it with superior free-throw shooting and fast-break scoring.

NEW YORK (Interstat) — In a game defined by grit over grace, the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash secured a hard-fought 71-69 victory over the Wagner Seahawks on Thursday night at Spiro Sports Center, snapping a two-game skid and handing Wagner its third consecutive loss. The most critical sequence unfolded in the final frantic minute. Trailing by two, Wagner’s Binael Basil converted a layup with 36 seconds remaining to tie the game at 69, sending a ripple of tension through the crowd of 689. Saint Francis (PA) called a timeout to set up a final play. Out of the break, the Red Flash went to their leading scorer, Chris Moncrief. The 6-foot-6 junior from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, drove aggressively to the rim but saw his layup attempt bounce off the iron. Wagner’s Eddie Placer secured the defensive rebound, giving the Seahawks a chance to hold for the final shot with the game knotted and about 30 seconds left. Wagner, after using a timeout, ran its offense looking for the last shot. The ball found its way to Nick Jones, who drove into the paint for a potential go-ahead layup. His attempt, however, rolled off the rim and into the hands of Saint Francis’ Ralph Martino with just over a second left. Martino was fouled immediately. The sophomore from Lantham, Maryland, who had been a steadying force all night, stepped to the line with the game in the balance. He calmly sank both free throws, putting the Red Flash ahead 71-69 with 1.3 seconds on the clock. Wagner’s final desperation inbounds pass led to a rushed, off-balance layup attempt by Jones that missed as time expired, sealing the narrow road win for Saint Francis (PA). The contest was a defensive struggle marked by inefficiency. Saint Francis (PA) (4-12) shot 45.3% from the field but only 30.4% from three-point range. Wagner (6-8) was worse, connecting on 44.1% of its shots and a paltry 23.8% from beyond the arc. The Seahawks’ 13 offensive rebounds gave them extra chances, but they were undermined by 13 turnovers and a 63.2% performance from the free-throw line. The Red Flash, conversely, made 16 of their 19 free throws, a decisive 84.2%. Moncrief led all scorers with 15 points, adding a steal and a block in 29 minutes. Ahmad Harrison provided a crucial spark with 16 points, including two three-pointers, while Martino filled the stat sheet with 10 points, four assists and three steals. Their combined efforts offset a balanced Wagner attack that saw four players score in double figures, led by John Awoke’s 12 points. Basil and Bryan Akanmu each added 10 for the Seahawks. The game’s tempo was set early, with both teams trading baskets and leads throughout a first half that ended with Saint Francis (PA) holding a slim 39-37 advantage. The second half followed a similar pattern, featuring eight ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team able to build a cushion larger than six points. Saint Francis (PA) won despite being outscored 40-34 in the paint and surrendering those 13 offensive boards. They countered by forcing those 13 Wagner turnovers, converting them into 14 points, and by generating 19 fast-break points to Wagner’s 11. The Red Flash also executed more efficiently, posting an offensive rating of 105.9 points per 100 possessions compared to Wagner’s 101.4. The victory improved Saint Francis (PA) to 1-1 in Northeast Conference play, while Wagner fell to 0-2. The Red Flash will look to build momentum when they travel to face Long Island on Saturday. Wagner will aim to stop its losing streak at home against Mercyhurst, also on Saturday.

Preview: Saint Francis (PA) at Wagner NEW YORK (Interstat) — Two Northeast Conference men’s basketball teams heading in opposite directions meet Thursday afternoon when the Wagner Seahawks host the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash at Spiro Sports Center. Wagner (6-7) looks to rebound from a disappointing 60-69 home loss to Stonehill last Sunday and solidify its position in the upper half of the league. The Seahawks had won four of their previous five games before that setback, including a road victory at Chicago State. Saint Francis (PA) (3-12) enters with momentum from its first win since early December, an 85-82 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday. The Red Flash had lost eight straight games prior, a skid that included blowout non-conference defeats at Florida and Temple. The matchup features key players capable of impacting the conference race. Saint Francis is led by guard Skylar Wicks, who is coming off a season-high 24-point performance in the win over Fairleigh Dickinson. Over his last five games, Wicks is averaging 19.2 points, demonstrating his role as the Red Flash’s primary offensive threat. Wagner counters with forward Zavier Fitch, a versatile defender who leads the team in blocks. Fitch is averaging 8.6 points over his last five contests and his presence in the paint will be crucial against a Saint Francis team that relies heavily on Wicks’s penetration and scoring. The Seahawks hold a clear advantage in the standings and have been more consistent at home, boasting a 5-2 record at Spiro Center this season. Saint Francis, meanwhile, is 1-9 in road and neutral-site games. Wagner’s ability to defend home court and contain Wicks will be the central storyline, while the Red Flash aim to build on their recent breakthrough and secure a rare road conference win. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 8.