Losing-record NEC program punches improbable NCAA Tournament bid

After enduring an ugly 13-17 regular season, it only makes sense that Saint Francis (PA) won the Northeast Conference championship in hideous fashion.

The Red Flash secured an improbable NCAA Tournament bid on Tuesday night with a 46-43 win over tourney 1-seed Central Connecticut (25-7, 14-2 NEC), which entered the conference title game on a 14-game winning streak.

Saint Francis (PA)'s 46 points were the fewest by a winning team in a conference tournament championship game since Georgia State scored 38 points in the 2015 Sun Belt final. (h/t Stathead)

Saint Francis (PA) and Central Connecticut combined to shoot 31% (36-of-116), including 18.6% (8-of-43) from beyond the arc. Central Connecticut had a season-high 16 turnovers.

It's the second consecutive heartbreaking end to the season for the Blue Devils, who haven't made the NCAA Tournament since 2007. Last season, they were also the NEC regular season champions but lost at home in the conference tournament, preventing them from snapping their March Madness drought.

As for Saint Francis (PA) (16-17, 8-8 NEC), the win marks the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 34 years and only the second in program history. The Red Flash last reached the big dance in 1991, its third season as an NEC member.

Saint Francis (PA) is No. 308 in NET rankings and No. 317 in KenPom and equally poor in offensive and defensive efficiency. Entering Tuesday, it was No. 237 in the country in scoring (71.9 point per game) and No. 199 in points allowed (72.5 points per game).

In four games against Quad 1 opponents, Saint Francis (PA) was outscored by an average of 35 points per game, including a 111-57 loss at Associated Press No. 11 Maryland (24-7, 14-6 in Big Ten) on Dec. 17. It began conference play with a 15-point home loss to Central Connecticut and was 5-8 through 13 games before winning three consecutive overtime games to end the regular season.

Not even a month ago, Saint Francis (PA) was hardly relevant in its own conference. Now, it's season will last for at least one more game, likely in the First Four for the right to play a No. 1 seed next Thursday or Friday.

As dire as things looked for the Red Flash earlier this season, they're already one of March's biggest winners. Now, it's only a matter of how long the epilogue lasts.