The 2025 NCAA Tournament is about to begin, which means that diehard fans and casual viewers will be laser-focused on all of the games. What gives them more incentive is to fill out the 68-team bracket in hopes of getting the most predictions correct in your respective pool. With that, they will undoubtedly be looking at teams most likely to score an upset victory over a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Before the NCAA Tournament begins, four seeds need to be determined in the First Four Round on Tuesday, March 18, and Wednesday, March 19, in Dayton, Ohio. The first game will see the St. Francis Red Flash take on the Alabama State Hornets for the No. 16 seed in the South Region. The winner will take on the No. 1 Auburn Tigers in the first round.
Some might be wondering, where is St. Francis University located?
Where is St. Francis University located?
St. Francis University is located in Loretto, Pa., which is 79 miles away from Pittsburgh. The private Catholic university was founded in 1847 and is the oldest Franciscan college in the United States.
St. Francis has over 60 undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies programs. According to U.S. News and World Report, the most popular majors at the university in 2023 were physician's assistant/associate (11 percent), registered nursing (10 percent), and occupational therapy.
According to the university's website, 1,962 students (undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree) enrolled for the Fall 2024 semester. The university also has a graduation rate of 73.4 percent and a retention rate of 82.5 percent.
St. Francis basketball NCAA Tournament history
St. Francis NCAA Tournament history
2025 is actually the second time in program history that St. Francis will compete in the NCAA Tournament. The only time they have done so was back in 1991, where they earned the No. 15 seed. In their first-round matchup against the Arizona Wildcats, the Red Flash lost 93-80.
Year | Seed | Result |
|---|---|---|
1991 | No. 15 | Lost 93-80 in the First Rund |
St. Francis NIT history
St. Francis made it into the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) four times in the program's history, where they hold a 3-5 overall record.
Their most notable run took place in 1955, where they made it to the semifinals after defeating Seton Hall and Holy Cross, losing to Dayton. St. Francis went on to lose to Cincinnati in the third place game.
Below is their full history in the NIT.
Year | Results |
|---|---|
1954 | Won 81-68 vs. BYU in First Round |
1955 | Won 89-78 vs. Seton Hall in First Round |
1958 | Lost 83-59 to Fordham in First Round |
2019 | Lost 89-72 to Indiana in First Round |