Fairleigh Dickinson Knights vs St. Francis (PA) Red Flash: Predictions, Odds and Roster Notes

Where: DeGol Arena in Loretto, PA, USA.

When: Tuesday, March 12th at 7pm EST.

How (TV/Radio): ESPN2

Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (Away)

Head Coach: Greg Herenda{Overall: 19-13, .594 W-L% | Conference: 12-6 T-1st in NEC}

The Knights come to DeGol Arena looking to return to the Big Dance after previously appearing in 2016. A win in this game would give the program its sixth appearance in school history.

The last time FDU visited this venue, the Knights emerged victorious, beating the Red Flash 79-61 on January 5th. Leading scorer Darnell Edge had 17 points in the win, while sophomore guard Xzavier Malone-Key scored 14 points. Turnovers proved to be a catalyst in the win, as the Knights forced St. Francis into 18 turnovers, six of which came against senior point guard, Jamaal King.

FDU advanced to the NEC tournament final by narrowly beating Robert Morris 66-62 on March 9th. Edge again led the scoring effort with 20 points, while sophomore point guard Jahlil Jenkins followed with 18 points. Free throws proved to be a big difference in this game, as the Knights tallied 27 attempts from the charity stripe compared to a measly 8 for the Colonials.

St. Francis (PA) Red Flash (Home)

Head Coach: Rob Krimmel {Overall: 18-13, .580 W-L% | Conference: 12-6, T-1st in NEC}

The Red Flash will have the luxury of home court advantage in the last stage of their quest to participate in March Madness. A win over the Knights will grant this program with just its second NCAA berth, and first since 1991.

Coach Krimmel’s team managed to split the season series with FDU, with the road team in each game coming away with lopsided victories. The most recent meeting took place at FDU’s Rothman Center, where the Red Flash tamed the Knights 87-62 on Valentine’s Day. Leading scorer Keith Braxton dropped 21 points, while sophomore point guard Jamaal King contributed 15 points.

St. Francis reached this point by taking down LIU-Brooklyn 72-64 in the semi-finals on March 9th. Braxton again led the way with 19 points, with King adding 15 of his own. The Red Flash placed a heavy emphasis on attacking the rim in this game, as evidenced by their 31 free throw attempts along with just six takes from beyond the arc.

Fairleigh Dicksinson Roster Notes

There are no injury or roster updates to report for FDU.

St. Francis Roster Notes

There are no injuries or roster changes to report for St. Francis.

Head-to-Head: Jahlil Jenkins vs Jamaal King

Jahlil Jenkins

Point Guard | 5-10, 160lb (178cm, 72kg) | Virginia Academy | Ranson, WV | Sophomore

13.3 PPG | 4.6 APG | 3.2 RPG | 1.6 SPG | 0.1 BPG | 2.1 TOV | .424 FG% | .336 3P%

Jamaal King

Point Guard | 5-10, 170lb (178cm, 77kg) | Bishop O’Connell HS | Salisbury, MD | Senior

15.2 PPG | 3.9 APG | 2.2 RPG | 1.6 SPG | 0.0 BPG | 2.7 TOV | .431 FG% | .346 3P%

Whoever believes that size matters when it comes to running the point has not been following the seasons of these floor generals. Both players in this matchup have excelled as scorers and playmakers despite standing under six feet, making up for any perceived mismatches.

Although listed as six feet even by FDU, Jahlil Jenkins has not let his stature hinder his performance. The West Virginia native has hit the ground running, managing to average double-figure scoring as a freshman, and putting up impressive scoring performances, most notably his 25 point outburst against Central Connecticut on January 10th. He has also been a pest on defense, as he ranks second in the NEC in both steals and steals per game.

Like his diminutive counterpart, Jamaal King is a nuisance on the defensive end, as he ranks one spot behind Jenkins in the aforementioned steal categories. King has proven to be a more explosive scorer, however, with ten games of more than 20 points compared to Jenkins’ one. Most of these games came against conference opponents and other mid-majors, with the lone exception being his 21 point performance at North Carolina on November 19th.

Fairleigh Dickinson at St. Francis (PA) Predictions and Odds

Oddsmakers are favoring St. Francis at home by 3 points over the Knights, while the over/under for the game is currently at 144.