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Northeast Basketball: Sacred Heart, St. Francis (PA) tournament favorites

By Jason Burgess

DAYTON, OH - MARCH 13: Donald Hicks #5 of the Radford Highlanders defends against Raiquan Clark #23 of the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds during the game at UD Arena on March 13, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
DAYTON, OH - MARCH 13: Donald Hicks #5 of the Radford Highlanders defends against Raiquan Clark #23 of the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds during the game at UD Arena on March 13, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 19: Cameron Johnson #13 of the North Carolina Tar Heels defends Isaiah Blackmon #11 of the St. Francis Red Flash during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 19, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 19: Cameron Johnson #13 of the North Carolina Tar Heels defends Isaiah Blackmon #11 of the St. Francis Red Flash during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 19, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Quarterfinals of the Northeast Conference Tournament

1.) Saint Francis (PA) vs. 8.) Bryant Bulldogs

All games in this tournament are hosted by the higher seed, so the Red Flash get to stay home as long as they keep winning.  The season series between the two was split, with each team winning at home by nine. In the meeting at Bryant, St. Francis (PA) shot 29% from three, while the Bulldogs shot 45%, I don’t think history repeats itself with the Red Flash as the home team here.

Prediction: Saint Francis (PA)

2.) Fairleigh Dickinson vs. 7.) Wagner

These two also split the season series with each winning on their home floor. In Wagner’s win, they led wire-to-wire behind 25 points and 11 rebounds from Romone Saunders. FDU’s leading scorer, Darnell Edge went scoreless in that game, but had 22 in the rematch, leading the Knights to a win. It will be hard to keep Edge off the scoresheet again in this one.

Prediction: Fairleigh Dickinson

3.) Sacred Heart vs. 6.) Long Island

I sense a pattern here, again both teams won at home, splitting the season series, but the third-seeded Pioneers enter this game on a three-game winning streak including wins over Robert Morris and Saint Francis (PA). In the first meeting between these two, Sacred Heart led by as many as 17 in the first half and trailed by as many as five, before squeaking out a win. In the second game, Tyrn Flowers and Raiquan Clark both scored 24 to lead the Blackbirds to a win. Clark is a senior and has averaged 26 points against Sacred Heart this season, and I don’t think his career ends here.

Prediction: Long Island

4.) Robert Morris vs. 5.) St. Francis (BKN)

For the first time in the quarterfinals we have a season sweep, Robert Morris beat the Terriers in both meetings, but they were close, winning by a total of eight points. In both meetings St. Francis (BKN) had halftime leads that they let slip away and were outscored by double-digits in the second half of each. Sophomore Jalen Jordan led the Terriers in scoring in both games, and I have a feeling if they get a lead in this game, St. Francis (BKN) won’t be giving it up.

Prediction: St. Francis (BKN)