Courtesy of University’s Office of Athletic Communications
The Saint Francis men’s basketball team will face Alabama State in its first NCAA Tournament game since 1991 in the “First Four” on Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio. Tip-off is set for 6:40 pm on truTV.
The winner advances to the Lexington Regional and will face overall tournament top-seed Auburn on Thursday.
Saint Francis advances to the NCAA Tournament after winning three games in the Northeast Conference Tournament by three points each.
Alabama State advances to the Big Dance after winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) title with a 60-56 win against Jackson State on March 15. The Hornets defeated Texas Southern in the SWAC quarterfinals and Grambling State in the semis.
The SFU men’s basketball program is making its second NCAA Tournament appearance and first since it lost to Arizona, 93-80, on March 14, 1991. The Red Flash defeated Fordham, 70-64, in an NCAA play-in game in Loretto on March 6, 1991, before falling to the Wildcats.
While it will be Saint Francis’ second NCAA appearance, the Red Flash participated in the National Invitation Tournament four times (1954, 1955, 1958 and 2019). The 1954 and 1955 teams were led by Naismith Hall-of-Famer Maurice Stokes, who was named the Most Valuable Player in the 1955 NIT.
Alabama State will be competing in its fifth NCAA Tournament after winning the SWAC in 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2011. The Hornets are 0-4 in the NCAA Tournament.
Tuesday’s game will be the fourth time a team from the NEC will face a team from the SWAC in the Big Dance. Mount St. Mary’s (2021) and FDU (2023) played Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M (2018). The NEC is 2-1 in those games.
