St. Francis (PA) vs Alabama State Picks and Prediction – 3/18/2025

Saint Francis and Alabama State meet in a First Four matchup with both teams looking to extend their seasons. The Red Flash enter at 16-17, coming off a tough stretch, while the Hornets finished at 19-15, showing more consistency. Both teams will need to find better scoring to have a shot at advancing. Slam dunk your bets with our College Basketball picks.

Alabama State has relied on balanced scoring, with CJ Hines averaging 14.4 points per game. Alex Madlock is leading the way at 7.2 rebounds per game while also contributing 2.6 assists. The Hornets struggle with turnovers at 12.9 per game but compensate with strong rebounding, pulling in 36.2 boards per contest. Free throw shooting has been steady at 69.2%, though they need to limit fouls, committing 18.2 per game.

Defensively, Alabama State allows too many easy baskets, giving up 46.1% shooting. The pressure defense does generate 7.8 steals per game, led by Marcus Octave’s 1.5 per game. Shot blocking is limited at 2.9 per contest, so interior defense could be an issue. If the Hornets want to move on, keeping the game in transition and forcing turnovers will be key.

Saint Francis has had inconsistent offensive play, shooting 40.5% from the field but a solid 33.9% from three. Robert Parker has been a key playmaker, leading the team with 3.4 assists per game while also scoring efficiently at 48.1% from the floor. Vuk Pinedo provides inside scoring and rebounding at 6.5 boards per game.

The Red Flash struggle defensively, allowing too many second-chance opportunities with just 34 rebounds per game. They do get some defensive activity with 6.3 steals per game, but rim protection is minimal with 2.4 blocks per contest. To pull off a win, Saint Francis needs to control the boards and limit Alabama State’s transition game.

Alabama State has a rebounding edge, a more efficient offense, and forces more turnovers. Saint Francis struggles inside, which will hurt against a Hornets team that can capitalize in the paint. Expect Alabama State to control the pace and come out on top. Final Score Prediction: Alabama State wins 71-65.