The men’s basketball team’s season came to an end with an upset bid that fell short against top-seeded Central Connecticut State in the NEC Tournament. This basketball season will be remembered as one where the Loretto squad showed resilience.
Having lost all but three players in their rotation and four of five starters from 2022-23 to the Transfer Portal, the Flash faced an uphill battle all season.
Two Division I teams started five freshmen in 2023-24: Kentucky and Saint Francis.
The Red Flash were seriously tested in their non-conference slate, facing Power Five competition in UCLA and Penn State. Saint Francis also played two tightly contested road games, picking ups wins against American (by two) and Lehigh (by one).
Saint Francis showed up in the clutch more often than not this basketball season, posting a 5-4 record in games decided by six points or fewer.
During Northeast Conference play, Saint Francis started off 0-6 before rattling off a clutch six-point win in Loretto over Long Island on Jan. 19, a game in which SFU didn’t trail in the second half.
Almost a month later, on Feb. 10, the Red Flash faced Stonehill in a game that would help determine who would grab the NEC’s last bid to the conference tournament. SFU prevailed, 72-63.
Saint Francis pulled through with a wire-to-wire win over the Skyhawks, 72-63. Bobby Rosenberger and Ace Talbert each tallied more than 20 points in the win.
This would help set up the playoff matchup against Central Connecticut State. In the match-up, the Red Flash led by eight with just eight and a half minutes remaining. CCSU, however – a team with five seniors on the squad – would outscore Saint Francis, 22-5, to end the contest and post the win.
Overall, Saint Francis showed promise this season and should be able to improve next year. The Red Flash finished with a final record of 8-22 (3-13 NEC).
