Mid-Major Mayhem

While St. John's may be New York's college basketball team, don't sleep on St. Francis; as Akeem Bennett and the Terriers are off to surprising 2-0 NEC start. (Photo courtesy of SFCAthletics.com)

I've made many mentions to "game of the year" matchups in recent posts; and out of the few to live up to the hype, no one could have suggested the closest match to hype and actual on-court epic would come from a school just outside Pittsburgh and their conference rival who plays on a court in Brooklyn that resembles a high school gym at a campus that looks like an office building.

Welcome to mid-major basketball.

Last night, St. Francis pulled off what I consider to be the most complete and thrilling forty minutes on the court this season by upsetting two-time reigning Northeast Conference champion Robert Morris on the Terriers' home court at the Pope Center by the final of 65-63. St. Francis (3-3, 2-0 in the NEC) was aided immensely by the Colonials landing themselves in foul trouble throughout the second half. In fact, St. Francis scored all of their final six points on free throws in the final 31 seconds. Senior guard Akeem Bennett led the way for the Terriers with 26 points, and not only drilled the final two foul shots; but provided the block on Robert Morris' final shot attempt that could have sent this thriller into overtime. Before you ask, this has nothing to do with the fact that I am the Terriers' basketball public address announcer and on-air personality for other sports at St. Francis. There is no bias here.

Ricky Cadell, Bennett's senior backcourt partner, added 18 of his own as the Terriers improved to 3-0 at home under new head coach and former Terrier assistant Glenn Braica. Robert Morris fell to 3-4, and 1-1 in the NEC with the loss in a game that was attended by former RMU coach and current Rutgers head man Mike Rice, who is doing quite well in his first season in Piscataway; and also impressed me by remembering me from our encounter back at Big East media day this past October.

St. Francis continues their homestand this Tuesday night against Colgate as the Terriers return to the nonconference portion of their schedule.