St. Francis (Pa) Red Flash guard Daemar Kelly. Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

March Madness bid stealer looks to make tournament history despite losing record

By Austen Bundy | Last updated Mar 11, 2025 10:56 PM ET

As conference tournaments hit a fever pitch ahead of Selection Sunday, the college basketball world will be on the lookout for dark horses and Cinderellas that could make some waves at the NCAA Tournament.

One of those teams may have just emerged out of the Northeast Conference (NEC) on Tuesday.

The Saint Francis Red Flash, hailing from Loretto, Pennsylvania, upset the No. 1-seeded Central Connecticut Blue Devils, 46-43, for the NEC title.

THE RED FLASH SURVIVE‼️

St. Francis hangs on to defeat Central Connecticut and clinch the NEC championship pic.twitter.com/x2gI6EsH9H
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 12, 2025

It's the school's second conference title all-time, clinching its first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 1991.

The Red Flash will enter March Madness with a 16-17 record, the 27th team in NCAA history to participate with a .500 or worse winning percentage.

On Selection Sunday, the team will find out its first-round opponent, but the odds will likely be severely tilted against them.

There's a significant chance St. Francis will have to play-in as one of the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, or possibly meet a No. 1 seed right off the bat.

No team with a .500 or worse record has ever won an NCAA Tournament game (play-in or otherwise). St. Francis will attempt to be the first.

The 2025 edition of the tournament will feature some interesting Cinderella candidates. So far, three schools will be participating for the first time ever.

St. Francis will be one to keep a particularly close eye on, especially if it can give a 1-seed a run for its money early in the tournament.

Austen Bundy

Austen Bundy is a journalist and sports junkie from the Washington, D. C. area

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