Latest news with #RileyParker
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Middle of Nowheresville' SFU embraces anonymity
DAYTON, OH (WTAJ) — One of the smallest schools in all of Division I, Saint Francis is leaning into the fact that they're from 'Nowheresville, PA.' 'We just want to keep making history and put the middle of nowhere on the map,' said junior guard Riley Parker. The school rolled out 'Middle of Nowheresville' t-shirts ahead of CBS's Selection Sunday show. (You can purchase them here) It's a nod to the team's small town roots. Saint Francis is in Loretto, PA. A small town of about 1,300 in Cambria County. Even life-time Pennsylvanians would have a hard time putting a pin on a map. But SFU is ok with that and lean into the underdog mentality. While players did not wear their 'Nowheresville' shirts coming off the bus in Dayton Monday, they still leaned into the vibe. 'We have a really great community out in Loreto. And they really embraced us as a team, and they've supported us this whole way,' said Parker. 'We have so many people that have come from Loretto. They've come to Dayton just to watch us play this game. So it means the world to us and we just want to keep doing it, keep, keep giving back to that community.' Gameday Primer: SFU is back in the Big Dance chasing history 'I didn't know anything about Saint Francis, honestly,' said freshman standout Juan Cranford Jr. 'But, like I said, the coaching staff reached out to me. That meant a lot because they gave me a chance, and they believed in me. So, I just want to shout them out. This is true blessing to be here.' Saint Francis is in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history, and first since 1991. The school's notable basketball alumni include former NBA players Maurice Stokes, Kevin Porter, Norm Van Lier, and Mike Iuzzolino. SFU plays Alabama State Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
17-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
March Madness: St. Francis (Pa.) vs. Alabama State odds, picks and predictions
The St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash (16-17) and Alabama State Hornets (19-15) meet Tuesday in a NCAA Tournament First Four game in Dayton, Ohio, for the South Region No. 16 seed. Tip-off from UD Arena is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET (truTV). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the St. Francis (Pa.) vs. Alabama State odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions. A late-season surge propelled St. Francis to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1991. The Red Flash finished fourth in the Northeast Conference (8-8), but caught fire and have won 6 straight games, including a gritty 46-43 victory over top-seeded Central Connecticut State in the conference championship. Junior G Riley Parker leads the team at 13.4 points per game (PPG) while shooting 39.9% from beyond the arc. Alabama State heads to the fifth NCAA Tournament, and first since 2011, after a terrific finish, winning 10 of its last 11 games. The Hornets were fourth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference at 12-6. Their run included a hard-fought 60-56 win over the No. 2 seed Jackson State Tigers in the SWAC title game to claim the automatic bid. Alabama State is powered by dynamic guards CJ Hines and Amarr Knox, both averaging 14 PPG. – Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! St. Francis (Pa.) vs. Alabama State odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 6:16 p.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : St. Francis (Pa.) +155 (bet $100 to win $155) | Alabama State -190 (bet $190 to win $100) : St. Francis (Pa.) +155 (bet $100 to win $155) | Alabama State -190 (bet $190 to win $100) Against the spread (ATS) : St. Francis (Pa.) +4.5 (-115) | Alabama State -4.5 (-105) : St. Francis (Pa.) +4.5 (-115) | Alabama State -4.5 (-105) Over/Under (O/U): 139.5 (O: -115 | U: -105) Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports' Men and Women's Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $2,500 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now! St. Francis (Pa.) vs. Alabama State picks and predictions Prediction Alabama State 71, St. Francis (Pa.) 70 PASS. I've got Alabama State (-190) winning this game, but it will likely come down to the last possession which is why I'll take my wager to the spread. BET ST. FRANCIS (PA.) +4.5 (-115). Alabama State and St. Francis are evenly matched across the board. The Hornets average 73.4 PPG while the Red Flash put up 71.1. St. Francis allows 71.6 PPG while Alabama State gives up 72.2. But recent trends tell a different story. The Red Flash tightened up defensively during their NEC Tournament run, holding opponents to just 55.3 PPG over 3 games. Meanwhile, Alabama State has struggled offensively, managing only 66.6 PPG over their last 5 contests. That could be a problem against a St. Francis team that thrives in tight games. Toting a 6-game win streak, the Red Flash have shown they can handle pressure, with 5 of those 6 wins decided by 5 points or less. They also went 5-0-1 against the spread (ATS) during that stretch, capping it off with a championship win over top-seeded Central Connecticut State, a 25-7 squad. Beyond their recent momentum, St. Francis also prepared themselves with a tough non-conference schedule, facing teams like the Dayton Flyers, Clemson Tigers, Penn State Nittany Lions, Georgetown Hoyas, and Maryland Terrapins. That experience should pay off here. With a 17-12-1 ATS record compared to Alabama State's 14-17-2, the Red Flash have a strong chance to keep it close and possibly steal the win late. BET UNDER 139.5 (-105). Alabama State has gone Under in 9 of its last 10 games, and scoring hasn't come easy for them lately. On the other side, St. Francis has been locking teams down, holding CCSU to just 43 points in the NEC title game. With the pressure of the tournament and some early-game nerves likely in play, this one has all the makings of a low-scoring game. The Under looks like the move here. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @DrewPhelps05 on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
NBC Sports
17-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
NCAA Tournament - Saint Francis vs. Alabama St. Predictions: Odds, Expert Picks, Betting Trends and Stats
The First Four tips off Tuesday night in Dayton, OH with the Red Flash of Saint Francis (16-17, 11-8) taking the court against the Alabama State Hornets (19-15, 15-6). Alabama State won the SWAC Tournament as the No. 4 seed and Saint Francis (PA) took care of business in the NEC Tourney as the No. 5 seed. Both schools arrive in Dayton playing their best basketball of the season. The Red Flash are 8-2 in their last ten games. The Hornets are 9-1 in their last ten games. Saint Francis (PA) and Alabama State are both guard-dominant teams. Each often plays with four guards on the floor. Riley Parker runs the show and is the leading scorer for Saint Francis (PA) at 13.4 points and 3.4 assists per game. Alabama State is led by CJ Hines who is averaging 14.4 points per game. TJ Madlock is the team's leading rebounder averaging 7.2 boards per contest. The winner of this game advances to take on the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Auburn Tigers. Lets dive into Sunday's matchup and offer some information and possibly a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the opening tip, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Game details & how to watch Saint Francis (PA) vs. Alabama State Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025 Time: 6:40PM EST Site: UD Arena City: Dayton, OH Network/Streaming: TruTV Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest scores and player news. Check out our day-by-day NCAA Basketball Schedule Page that includes live game updates. Game odds for Saint Francis (PA) vs. Alabama State The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of BetMGM: Odds: Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash (+145), Alabama State Hornets (-175) Spread: Hornets -3.5 Total: 140.5 points Expert picks & predictions for Saint Francis (PA) vs. Alabama State Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NCAA calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, injuries, and the schedule. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's Red Flash & Hornets game: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on Alabama State on the Moneyline Spread: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play ATS Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total UNDER 140.5. Saint Francis (PA) vs. Alabama State: Top betting trends and recent stats Alabama State is 5-1 against the spread in their last 6 games and 7-3 in their last 10 (12-16-2 for the season) Alabama State is 9-0-1 to the UNDER in their last 10 games (11-18-1 for the season) Saint Francis (PA) is 5-0-1 against the spread in their last 6 games and 7-2-2-1 in their last 10 (14-12-1 for the season) Saint Francis (PA) games have eclipsed the Total in 18 of their 27 games this season If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NCAA Basketball Top Trends Tool on Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: · Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) · Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) · Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) · Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn basketball's first round opponent revealed ahead of 2025 NCAA Tournament
Auburn basketball's first round opponent revealed ahead of 2025 NCAA Tournament Auburn basketball earns its first No. 1 seed since 1999. Here is what to know about the Tigers' first round matchup. The dust has settled from the NCAA Tournament selection show, and the Auburn Tigers are ready to begin their quest for its first national championship. Auburn grabbed the No. 1 overall seed in the South region, and will open up the NCAA Tournament on Thursday against the No. 16 seed Alabama State/St. Francis in Lexington, Kentucky. The Hornets and Red Flash will square off on Tuesday at 5:40 p.m. CT in Dayton, Ohio, with the winner's reward being a date with the top-seeded Auburn Tigers. Alabama State stunned Jackson State in the SWAC Tournament on Saturday, 60-56, to earn the conference's automatic bid. The Hornets were paced by CJ Hines' 20 point effort in the win. Alabama State enters the NCAA Tournament with a 19-15 record, finishing No. 4 in the SWAC. Alabama State does bring plenty of momentum with them into the tournament by winning six-straight games to close the season. St. Francis defeated Central Connecticut State in the NEC Championship Game, earning its first NCAA Tournament bid since 1991. The Red Flash squeaked out the 66-63 win in a game where neither team trailed by more than four points throughout. Riley Parker and Juan Cranford each connected on two three-point attempts in the win, with Cranford leading the team with 14 points. Like Alabama State, St. Francis has won six games in a row entering NCAA Tournament play, so their 16-17 record is not to be taken lightly. Auburn wrapped up the No. 1 seed by boasting an impressive resume. Auburn ended conference tournament week ranked No. 2 in the NET with an impressive 16-5 record over "quad-1" teams, two more than the No. 2 team, Houston. Auburn also won 22 games over teams in both quad-1 and quad-2, which is a better record that Florida, Houston, Alabama, and Michigan State built. The team has received criticism, however, due to its recent slump. After building a 27-2 record, the Tigers dropped four of its final five games ahead of March Madness and will enter the tournament at 28-5. The winner of Auburn's first round game with Alabama State or St. Francis will face No. 8 Louisville vs. No. 9 Creighton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
Washington Post
06-03-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Parker leads St. Francis over Wagner 58-55 in Northeast Conference Tournament
LORETTO, Pa. — Riley Parker led No. 3 seed St. Francis with 16 points and sealed the victory with a three free throws with two seconds left as the Red Flash took down sixth-seeded Wagner 58-55 on Wednesday in a Northeast Conference Tournament quarterfinal. St. Francis will move on to play No. 2 seed Long Island in a semifinal on Saturday.
