LE MOYNE (13-16, 8-7) vs. Saint Francis University (8-20, 3-12)
Saturday, Mar. 2 - 4:00 p.m.
DeGol Arena - Loretto, Pa.
Video: NEC Front Row
Radio: FOX Sports 92.5 FM/1490 AM
Live Stats: https://sfuathletics.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
 
Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne men's basketball team looks to end the regular season on a high note when it visits Saint Francis University on Saturday afternoon. Le Moyne dominated Saint Francis 94-57 in the two's first meeting on January 21. It was the Dolphins' largest conference win of the season. The victory also marked Le Moyne's second-highest points total of 2023-24. A Dolphins win on Saturday would leave them with a winning conference record in their first season with the NEC.
 
Le Moyne currently sits in a tie for fourth place in the conference standings. The Dolphins will earn the fourth seed and clinch a home game in the NEC Tournament with a win. A loss results in the Dolphins being the fifth seed and visiting the winner of Saturday's matchup between FDU and Wagner College, which begins thirty minutes after Le Moyne and Saint Francis tip off.
 
Saint Francis has really struggled since its first matchup against Le Moyne. Following a win over Sacred Heart on January 25, SFU has lost seven of its last eight contests. The Red Flash's only victory during the stretch came against Stonehill College on February 10. Saint Francis is averaging just 65 points in its last four games. The Red Flash are currently a game ahead of the last playoff spot in the NEC. They need a Stonehill loss to Central Connecticut State, which starts at 1:00 p.m., or a win over the Dolphins to claim the eighth seed.
 
Saint Francis ranks in the bottom half of the conference in most statistical categories. The Red Flash are dead last in free throw percentage, shooting just 61.5% from the line. SFU has trouble taking care of the basketball as well, averaging nearly 14 turnovers. Saint Francis excels on the glass, however, bringing in over 12 offensive rebounds per game.
 
Freshman forward Eli Wilborn is a bright spot for the Red Flash. Wilborn averages 10.6 points on nearly 53% shooting. He's dominant on the boards, bringing in 7.6 rebounds per game. Wilborn also leads SFU with an astonishing 47 blocks. He's started 25 of Saint Francis' 28 games, a team-high. Wilborn had 13 points during the first matchup between the Red Flash and the Dolphins.
 
Another freshman, guard Aaron "Ace" Talbert, is another piece for Saint Francis. Talbert leads the team in assists and has started 19 games for the Red Flash. He's strong from beyond the arc, shooting over 37% on three-pointers. Talbert has scored exactly ten points in three consecutive games. He had five points and four turnovers when SFU and Le Moyne met in January.
 
A win would snap a four-game skid for Saint Francis. The Red Flash are struggling compared to last season when they won nine conference contests. SFU has six of its eight total wins at home in 2023-24.
 
Le Moyne enters Saturday's clash off the back of a pivotal 14-point win over Wagner on Thursday night. The Dolphins held the Seahawks to just 56 points, the best defensive effort of their NEC campaign. Wagner shot just 30.2% from the field and under 19% from three. Le Moyne had three separate players score in double figures.
 
Senior guard Darrick Jones Jr. was dominant in the Dolphins' most recent win. Jones Jr. had a career-high 21 points and hit five three-pointers. He played 33 minutes, a team-best. Jones Jr. added four rebounds, two assists, and a steal against Wagner. He had 10 points and six rebounds in Le Moyne's first win over Saint Francis.
 
Graduate students Luke Sutherland and Kaiyem Cleary also impressed on Thursday. Sutherland, a forward, ended with 14 points, three rebounds, and a team-high four assists. Cleary, a guard, had 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Cleary leads the team in both points and rebounds for 2023-24.
 
Le Moyne's matchup with Saint Francis is its last of the regular season. The Dolphins have already qualified for the Northeast Conference Tournament, which begins with the quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 6. The tournament ends on March 12 with the championship game. All contests are played in the home arenas of the higher-seeded school.