The Career of Brandin Knight (CH2k8)

[Pitty]

Red Flash Move To 10-0

St. Francis 71, Lehigh 51 - Umar Shannon scored 25 points and had 8 assists to lead all scorers. St. Francis forced 15 turnovers and held Lehigh to just 15-51 from the floor.

St. Francis 58, Charlotte 44 - The Red Flash were led by Umar Shannon and Chris Johnson, scoring 17 a piece. St. Francis out rebounded Charlotte 33-22, and forced 14 Charlotte turnovers.

St. Francis 65, Colgate 57 - Umar Shannon scored 20 points on 6-10 three point shooting. The Red Flash used 10-22 three point shooting to put away Colgate.

St. Francis 58, Sacred Heart 50 - Umar Shannon netted 20 points yet again in this contest with 4-8 from deep. Will Felder also scored 17 points in his return to the court. Sacred Heart shot just 13-41 from the field and 17-31 from the free throw line. The Red Flash move to 1-0 in the NEC.

St. Francis 65, Wagner 59 - Chris Johnson scored 22 points to lead all scorers as the Red Flash shot 25-53 from the floor. Freshman Christano Ngounou also added 12 points. The Red Flash move to 2-0 in the NEC/

[Pitty]

Red Flash Move Into Conference Play Undefeated 15-0

St. Francis 85, New Hampshire 75 - Umar Shannon led all scorers with 22 points, Will Felder also contributed a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

St. Francis 68, Old Dominion 60 - Umar Shannon single-handedly beat ODU with 29 points, 7-11 from deep. ODU shot just 16-50 from the field.

St. Francis 69, Rhode Island 49 - Umar Shannon scored another 20 point performance while the Red Flash held Rhode Island to just 16-47 shooting.

St. Francis 75 Vermont 62 - Will Felder led all scorers with 21 points. 4 of 5 Red Flash starters scored in double figures. The Red Flash forced 18 turnovers.

St. Francis 70, Long Island 66 - Umar Shannon led all scorers with 22 points. Felder and Johnson also scored in double figures with 15 and 13. Long Island had 18 turnovers. The Red Flash are 3-0 in the NEC.

[Pitty]

Flash In The Pan?

ESPN.com - If I were to tell you during the first weeks of this season that a Northeast Conference team would be ranked in the Media Top 25 you probably wouldn't have believed me. Still, as newspapers hit all over the country this morning, nowhere are people happier than small Loretta, Pennsylvania, as their St. Francis Red Flash are ranked for the first time in school history at #24 following a blistering 15-0 start to their season, including a win over then #6 Michigan State.

The Red Flash are led by star Juniors Umar Shannon and Will Felder, who are referred to on campus as "the duo". The duo combine to form roughly half of the Red Flash points, and anchor an inexperienced front court, having traveled to the NCAA tournament last season. Felder was out earlier this season as the Red Flash won the Hawaiian Classic, mainly on the legs of Umar Shannon and Freshman Center Harry Goodrich.

Heading into conference play, a slate which may prove easier than their non-conference, the question now arises about the possibility of an undefeated season. Usually there are only teams like UNC, Duke, and UCLA in this discussion, but this season the St. Francis Red Flash have a legitimate shot. Coach Brandin Knight commented on the possibility, "We don't look at it that way, we aren't 15-0 because we set that as our goal, we're 15-0 because we set out to win 15 games, individually, putting in the practice and preparation for each."

Recruiting Update:

-St. Francis Signs Lone Target-
Larry Dunnington, 6'2, SG - ***, #83 SG, #304 OVR, B+ Potential, A- Shot, A- DEF, B ATH

[Pitty]

Robert Morris Hands St. Francis First Loss

Robert Morris 67, St. Francis 61 - Karon Abraham scored 25 points to lead the Colonials over the Red Flash. St. Francis shot just 5-22 from three point range. Guard Umar Shannon recorded a team high 11 points, but shot just 5-15 from the field. The Red Flash are now 3-1 in the NEC.

St. Francis 66, Farleigh Dickinson 57 - Umar Shannon led the Red Flash to victory with 21 points, including 14 free throw attempts. Will Felder had a solid 11 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. F. Dickinson had 15 turnovers and shot 20-55 from the field. The Red Flash are now 4-1 in the NEC.

St. Francis 60, Mt. St. Mary's 56 - Will Felder scored 16 points on 5-7 from the floor to power past Mt. St. Mary's. The Red Flash held their opponent to just 18-55 from the floor as their strong defense continues to shine. The Red Flash are now 5-1 in the NEC.

St. Francis 66, Central Connecticut St. 62 - Umar Shannon and Will Felder combined for 40 points as the Red Flash powered past the Blue Devils on the road. St. Francis shot 22-47 from the floor, and won despite going 4-22 from deep. The Red Flash are now 6-1 in the NEC.

St. Francis 77, Quinnipiac 53 - Umar Shannon exploded for 31 points as strong three point shooting propelled the Red Flash to victory going 10-21 from distance. Quinnipiac couldn't get it going on offense shooting just 22-61 from the field and 4-22 from deep. The Red Flash are now 7-1 in the NEC.

[Pitty]

Red Flash Move to 11-2 in NEC

St. Francis 69, Monmouth 48 - St. Francis held Monmouth to just 17-47 from the field, forcing 19 turnovers in this blowout victory. Umar Shannon led the Red Flash with 28 points on 10-22 shooting. The Red Flash are no 8-1 in the NEC.

St. Francis 77, Farleigh Dickinson 39 - Another defensive showcase in which the Red Flash allowed zero double digit scorers, holding Farleigh Dickinson to 11-37 from the floor. The Red Flash forced an astounding 24 turnovers. Will Felder recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Red Flash are now 9-1 in the NEC.

St. Francis 61, Long Island 58 - Behind strong play from Umar Shannon and Will Felder, the Red Flash were able to overcome poor shooting by forcing 15 turnovers. The Red Flash are 10-1 in the NEC.

St. Francis (NY) 71, St. Francis (PA) 63 - In this rivalry matchup, the Terriers topped the Red Flash, outscoring the Red Flash in both halves. The red Flash shot just 21-50 from the field, with 15 turnovers. Umar Shannon scored 16 points with 5 rebounds and 7 assists, but the Red Flash were unable to win. St. Francis is now 10-2 in the NEC.

St. Francis 87, Robert Morris 62 - Avenging their loss earlier in the season, the Red Flash took Robert Morris to the woodshed. Shooting 31-60 from the field and 9-20 from three point range, the Red Flash were able to hold off a solid 20 point performance from Karon Abraham. Harry Goodrich scored 16 points with 6 rebounds. The Red Flash are now 11-2 in the NEC.

[Pitty]

St. Francis Seals 2nd Straight NEC Championship With 15-3 Record

St. Francis 83, Monmouth 79 - The Red Flash Junior Trio of Umar Shannon, Will Felder, and Chris Johnson combined for 56 points to lead St. Francis to a 83-79 victory over Monmouth. Monmouth allowed 25 free throws. The Red Flash are now 12-2 in the NEC.

St. Francis 71, Mt. St. Mary's 58 - Another strong defensive performance, holding the Mount to just 18-52, allowed St. Francis to notch another NEC win. Umar Shannon led the Red Flash with 17 points, as the team shot 50% from the field. St. Francis also shot 45% from long range. The Red Flash are now 13-2 in the NEC.

St. Francis 55, Quinnipiac 50 - Despite a 28 point, 15 rebound performance from last years Defensive Player of the Year David Rutty, the Bearcats were unable to handle a balanced Red Flash attack. Harry Goodrich had 9 points and 13 rebounds. The Red Flash are now 14-2 in the NEC.

St. Francis (PA) 55, St. Francis (NY) 50 - In the revenge match, the Red Flash topped their rivals, holding the Terriers to just 16-50 from the floor. Will Felder led all scorers with 18 points, along with 7 rebounds. The Red Flash are now 15-2 in the NEC.

Sacred Heart 73, St. Francis 65 - Despite 40 combined points from Umar Shannon and Chris Johnson, the Red Flash couldn't top Sacred Heart, who shot over 55% from the field. Despite the loss, the Red Flash have already secured the 2012 NEC Championship with their 15-3 record in conference play.

[Pitty]

St. Francis Rolls Through NEC Tournament

St. Francis 71, Quinnipiac 67 - Led by 25 points from Umar Shannon, the Red Flash held Quinnpiac to just 21-53 from the field. Quinnipiac's David Rutty had an amazing 40 points and 21 rebounds, yet the Bearcats were outscored by 10 points in the second half.

St. Francis 87, Robert Morris 60 - Aside from 23 points from Karon Abraham, Robert Morris shot just 15-50 from the field. St. Francis, however, used a balanced attack, shooting 60% from the floor. The Red Flash starters combined for 59 points, just one shy of the Colonial total. Will Felder led all scorers with 20 points.

St. Francis 74, Wagner 65 - A dominating performance from Freshman Center Harry Goodrich earned him not only a NEC Finals MVP, but a NEC Conference Championship. Goodrich netted 20 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as the Red Flash of St. Francis pulled away late against Wagner in Loretta, PA. Other double digit scorers for the Red Flash were Umar Shannon (17), Will Felder (10), and Christano Ngounou (15). Wagner shot just 26-61 from the field, and 8-26 from three. This is the second consecutive NEC Championship for the Red Flash.

[Pitty]

St. Francis Draws Wyoming as #5 Seed, Highest in School History

Loretta, PA - The St. Francis Red Flash, 30-3 (15-3) began this season as outside favorites to win the NEC, now they sit in the Top 20, and have notched the highest NCAA Tournament school for it's conference in the past 50 years. They found out today that they will face the Wyoming Cowboys in the East Regional, who were 20-12 (8-8) this year in the Mountain West Conference. The Cowboys and Red Flash are even averaging 70 points per contest, however, the Red Flash possess wins over three current Top 25 Teams and an RPI of 17.


Top Four Seeds

East: 1.) Indiana 2.) St. Mary's 3.) Temple 4.) South Carolina

West: 1.) Xavier 2.) Tennessee 3.) Oklahoma State 4.) Ohio State

South: 1.) Kansas 2.) Oklahoma 3.) Michigan State 4.) Duke

Midwest: 1.) Georgia Tech 2.) Baylor 3.) Marquette 4.) Kentucky

Top 25
1.) Kansas (25-5)
2.) Indiana (28-4)
3.) Xavier (26-4)
4.) Georgia Tech (24-7)
5.) Tennessee (25-7)
6.) Baylor (23-8)
7.) Marquette (26-7)
8.) Michigan state (24-10)
9.) Duke (23-10)
10.) Oklahoma (24-7)
11.) St. Mary's (28-5)
12.) Temple (28-7)
13.) Kentucky (20-11)
14.) Ohio State (21-11)
15.) Oklahoma State (21-9)
16.) Washington State (24-8)
17.) Minnesota (20-12)
18.) Mississippi State (23-11)
19.) Saint Francis (30-3)
20.) Austin Peay (26-5)
21.) South Carolina (22-10)
22.) Kansas State (21-10)
23.) Iowa (19-12)
24.) Memphis (24-9)
25.) Virginia Tech (21-10)

Mid-Major Top 25
1.) St. Mary's (28-5)
2.) Saint Francis (30-3)
3.) Austin Peay (26-5)
4.) Florida Atlantic (27-8)
5.) Fairfield (25-5)
6.) Ball St. (24-7)
7.) Butler (21-10)
8.) Murray St. (27-7)
9.) Siena (25-9)
10.) Albany (22-9)
11.) Coll. Of Charl. (22-8)
12.) Harvard (19-10)
13.) San Francisco (23-9)
14.) Gonzaga (18-13)
15.) Eastern Washington (19-10)
16.) Illinois St. (20-8)
17.) Gardner-Webb (23-8)
18.) VCU (22-12)
19.) Indiana St. (20-12)
20.) Boston U. (21-11)
21.) Valpo (19-11)
22.) CS Fullerton (22-8)
23.) UALR (20-11)
24.) Nevada (18-12)
25.) UL Lafayette (17-11)

[packersfan4eva]

Yeaaa, that's how we do it. Nice job getting a good seed. Watch out for Indiana, though. They're gonna win it all.

[Pitty]

St. Francis Handles Wyoming In First Round

Detroit MI (AP) - In the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, #5 Seed St. Francis Red Flash took out the Wyoming Cowboys 80-63. The Red Flash relied on a balanced scoring attack, with four starters in double figures, led by Will Felder with 23 points. The Red Flash used a 43-24 rebounding advantage to pull away from Wyoming, leading by as many as 20 in the second half. St. Francis shot a red hot 9-21 from three point range, and turned the ball over just 8 times.

Red Flash Torch Arizona On Way To Sweet 16

Detroit, MI (AP) - Led by a brilliant shooting performance by Forward Will Felder, the Red Flash hit triple digits for the first time in years, winning 108-67 and advancing to their first Sweet 16 in the Tournament era. Felder led all scorers with 27 points, on 11-15 shooting, but 6 Red Flash players hit double figures, four with 15 points or more. St. Francis couldn't be stopped on offense, shooting 68% from the field, outrebounding Arizona 38-24. The Red Flash were 12-20 from three point range.

St. Francis Reaches Elite 8, Upsets #1 Seed Indiana

Worcester, MA (AP) - The St. Francis Red Flash rode a tight whistle to the Elite 8 last night, topping the Indiana Hoosiers, 75-66. After bowing out in the First Round a year ago, the Red Flash have become the first Mid-Major team since Butler in 2010 to advance past the Sweet 16. The Red Flash shot 15 more free throw attempts than Indiana, netting 10 more to seal the victory. Umar Shannon led all scorers with 19 points, as 4 St. Francis players were in double figures. Indiana was plagued by turnovers, throwing the ball away 21 times in the course of the game.

St. Francis Reaches First Final Four In School History

Worcester, MA (AP) - The St. Francis dream season continued tonight as the Red Flash topped St. Mary's Gaels to go to their first Final Four ever. St. Mary's led for most of the night, however, the Red Flash took over in the second half, showing their experience and poise. Four Red Flash starters scored in double figures, with Will Felder taking the regional MVP averaging 14.2 points per contest. St. Mary's shot just 22-57 from the field, and were out-rebounded 37-28. The Red Flash committed just 7 fouls on the night, and became one of the few Mid-Major schools to ever make the Final Four.

East Regional

Sweet 16
#1 Indiana 66, #5 St. Francis 75
#2 St. Mary's 72, #11 USC 57

Elite 8
#2 St. Mary's 59, #5 St. Francis 64

West Regional

Sweet 16
#1 Xavier 74, # 4 Ohio St. 76
#2 Tennessee 80, #6 Kansas st. 54

Elite 8
#2 Tennessee 94, #4 Ohio St. 78

South Regional

Sweet 16
#1 Kansas 94, #4 Duke 83
#7 Virginia Tech 72, #11 Florida 94

Elite 8
#1 Kansas 72, #11 Florida 84

Midwest Regional

Sweet 16
#1 Georgia Tech 92, #5 Mississippi St. 66
#10 Connecticut 69, #11 Seton Hall 62

Elite 8
#1 Georgia Tech 71, #10 Connecticut 66

[Pitty]

Tennessee Wears Down St. Francis in Final Four

Detroit, MI - The St. Francis dream season came to an end tonight at the hands of #2 seeded Tennessee. Amidst foul problems, Will Felder was unable to find any support for his 27 points, as both Red Flash Front Court starters fouled out in the second half. Tennessee shot 26 free throw attempts and had four players in double figures. St. Francis, the cinderella surprise of this year's tournament now has a big question to resolve, as it returns all five starters, but will Coach Brandin Knight leapfrog if he gets the opportunity. He spoke to reporters after the game.

"You know, I'm just so proud of these kids that I can't focus on something like that right now. All I will say is that it will take a lot to tear me away from this team, my attachment to them is familial." Knight was a 3 year starter at the University of Pittsburgh before moving into the coaching world. At St. Francis he is 56-14 with 29 conference wins. "Before I make any decisions I will talk it over with the players and my staff before moving forward."

Final Four

#2 Tennessee 69, #5 St. Francis 56
#1 Georgia Tech 84, #11 Florida 74

National Championship
#1 Georgia Tech 68, #2 Tennessee 63

2011-2012 Awards

National Champions - Georgia Tech - 30-7 (13-3)

Player of the Year - Mouphtao Yarou, PF, JR, Villanova - 23.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.3 BPG

Mid-Major Player of the Year - Ryan Rossiter, PF, JR, Siena - 22.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 2.1 BPG

Coach of the Year - Paul Hewitt, Georgia Tech

Defensive Player of the Year - William Mosley, C, SR, Northwestern St. - 13.4 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 2.8 BPG

Big Man of the Year - Mouphtao Yarou, PF, JR, Villanova

Freshman of the Year - Monty Bigby, SG, Duke (#1 SG, #1 OVR 2011) - 11.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.6 SPG

St. Francis Award Winners

Conference Champions - St. Francis Red Flash (15-3)
NEC Conference Coach of the Year - Brandin Knight (34-4)
NEC Freshman of the Year - Harry Goodrich, C, 6'10" - 6.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.1 BPG
1st Team All-NEC - Will Felder, Harry Goodrich
2nd Team All-NEC - Umar Shannon
Freshman All-NEC - Harry Goodrich

[Pitty]

Calhoun Retires, UCONN Inks St. Mary's Bennett

Storrs, CT - Breaking rumors from the University of Connecticut are confirming that Head Coach Jim Calhoun, amidst failing health and NCAA cheating allegations has retired from Coaching. It is widely known that this was a likelihood this season after an Elite 8 run. In a surprise twist, however, it was announced that St. Mary's Randy Bennett is already being donned the successor to Jim Calhoun. Bennett was among a few select candidates including Tommy Amaker of Harvard and Mark Few of Gonzaga.

Knight Hires Two New Assistants During Job Rumors

Loretta, PA - When asking St. Francis players what their thoughts on Brandin Knights position is, they all respond the same, they expect their coach to stay but understand if he chooses a higher profile job. Forward Will Felder was quoted, "Coach Knight taught us all what it takes to have success. Sure, I don't want him to go, but we can't hold it against him if he follows his dream to another school. Either way, we're going to be back to compete next year, regardless of the outcome."

Knight himself has been mum on the situation, however the signing of two new assistants may be the pre-cursor to another year with the Red Flash hints ESPN's Dick Vitale, "Well baby, hasn't Coach Knight made quite a name for himself. I know back in my time, he'd be getting the attention he deserves. You really have to look at these two new coaches that Knight's picked up, specializing in Defense and Recruiting, it looks like Knight is gearing up for a dynasty here at St. Francis highlighting the foundations of every successful program."

Rumors have surfaced that St. Francis' AD has green lighted Knight to visit several schools including VCU, St. Mary's, Siena, and Ball St. All post-season participants last season.

[Pitty]

Knight Makes Decision Regarding 2013

ESPN, 12:37 PM: "Welcome back to Sportscenter here at the lunch hour, we now take you to an ESPNU special coverage event at this year's Final Four participant St. Francis in Pennsylvania where Head Coach Brandin Knight is set to announce his plans for next season."

"Welcome everyone, media and guests, thank you for showing your support for the Red Flash. I'm not going to beat around the bush telling you that I need more time to make my decision, something that will just hurt multiple parties. Instead, I'm proud to announce that I will be accepting the open Head Coaching position at St. Mary's College in California. I'm very sad to leave St. Francis but I believe that it is time for for me and my family to move on. I'd like to thank everyone at this University for all that they've done, and as a departing memento both St. Mary's and St. Francis have agreed to a 2 year, home-and-home series beginning this year in Loretta."

St. Mary's College

Head Coach - Brandin Knight - 56-14
Last Tournament Appearance - Elite 8 - 2012
Arena - McKeon Pavilion (3,500)

Signed Recruits

Dominique Buggs - 6'6", SF, Napa, CA - **** - #16 SF, #61 OVR - B+ SHOT, B+ DEF, A- ATH, A+ POT

Boomer Bodden - 6'6", PF, Santa Rosa, CA - *** - #45 PF, #278 OVR - B+ REB, B IQ, A- POT

[Pitty]

Knight Signs First St. Mary's Recruit

Scout.com - New Head Coach Brandin Knight sealed his 2012 Class at St. Mary's signing a 6'11" Center yesterday. Darrell English from Oakland, California is graded by Scout as a three-star prospect, possessing great low post defense and rebounding skills, yet very raw on the offensive end of the court. English is in the top 150 players in his class and is rated the 7th best Center of this year.

Signed Recruits

Dominique Buggs - 6'6", SF, Napa, CA - **** - #16 SF, #61 OVR - B+ SHOT, B+ DEF, A- ATH, A+ POT

Boomer Bodden - 6'6", PF, Santa Rosa, CA - *** - #45 PF, #278 OVR - B+ REB, B IQ, A- POT

Darrell English - 6'11", C, Oakland, CA - *** - #7 C, #144 OVR - B+ DEf, B ATH, A- REB, A SIZE

[Pitty]

2012-2013 St. Mary's Gaels

Head Coach

Brandin Knight - Career Record: 56-14
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2 (2011, 2012)
Sweet 16 Appearances: 1 (2012)
Final Four Appearances: 1 (2012)

Roster

PG - Paul McCoy, SR, 5'11", 189 lbs - 78 OVR (Former Walk-On)

SG - Matt Dellavedova, SR, 6'5", 189 lbs - 80 OVR (Second Team All-WCC)

SF - Dominique Buggs, FR, 6'6", 225 lbs - 73 OVR (A Potential)

PF - Mitch Young, SR, 6'10", 231 lbs - 73 OVR

C - Darrell English, FR, 7'0", 225 lbs - 74 OVR

6.) Jorden Page, SR, PG, 6'0, 188 lbs - 74 OVR
7.) Beau Levesque, SR, SF, 6'4", 231 lbs - 73 OVR
8.) Kudjo Bolton, SO, SG, 6'6", 193 lbs - 71 OVR
9.) Kyle Rowley, SR, C, 7'1", 291 lbs - 70 OVR
10.) Stephan Holt, JR, PG, 6'4", 201 lbs - 70 OVR
11.) Eividas Petrulis, JR, SF, 6'7", 218 lbs - 69 OVR
12.) Darwin Timmerman, FR, SF, 6'7", 210 lbs - 68 OVR
R.) Boomer Bodden, FR, PF, 6'6", 237 lbs - 68 OVR