LORETTO, Pa. – A double-double from freshman Keith Braxton and four double-figure scorers propelled Saint Francis to an 87-72 win over Longwood Wednesday evening at DeGol Arena.
 
The 6-4, 208-pound Braxton amassed career highs with 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead a Red Flash (2-2) team that generated 48 points in the paint. Braxton hit 8-of-11 shots from the field and added five assists during a night in which Saint Francis shot .600 (36-of-60) from the floor, topped the 40-point mark in both halves and got double-digit scoring production from Jamal King (15 points), Josh Nebo (15) and Randal Gaskins Jr. (11).
 
Saint Francis took hold of the game in the final six minutes of the first half, mounting a 20-2 run that turned a one-point deficit into a 42-25 halftime lead. Led by seven points from Gaskins during that span, the Red Flash scored 13 consecutive points leading into halftime and led by double digits the rest of the way.
 
Spearheaded by the backcourt duo of King and Gaskins, who swiped four steals apiece, Saint Francis forced Longwood into 16 turnovers in the first half.
 
"We were just trying to force too many things," said Longwood head coach Jayson Gee. "Everybody's trying to get it done on their own, and with good intentions. But we have to do a better job of recognizing that defense collapsing in the middle. At the end of the day, we have to be able to jump-stop and handle that when we drive through the middle."
 
Longwood cut those turnovers from 16 to five in the second half and launched an 11-for-14 shooting onslaught from downtown, but it was not enough to overcome Saint Francis' double-digit lead. Led by 19 points and five three-pointers from senior Darrion Allen, the Lancers whittled that lead from 22 to 11 following a 22-8 run that ran to the 5:31 mark, but came no closer before the Red Flash righted their ship.
 
"One of the things I said to them at halftime was your pride will be in question," Gee said. "Saint Francis was playing pretty well, they took advantage of our turnovers and they scored points. I said I wanted to see some pride, and I thought our guys did that, but you have to do that for 40 minutes. We can't wait to get behind to show that kind of discipline and focus."
 
Khris Lane had nine of his 17 points during that second-half run en route to his second straight double-figure scoring game. He added nine rebounds, nearing what would have been his second straight double-double, and was a perfect 4-of-4 from three-point range.
 
Lane's production in the frontcourt came in the absence of fellow redshirt junior Damarion Geter, who averages 26.0 minutes per game but is out indefinitely after suffering a broken foot in the Nov. 18 win against Salem International. With Geter sidelined, Gee deployed 6-5, 215-pound freshman forward JaShaun Smith, who set career highs across the board in his first start with 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and a 6-of-9 shooting performance from the field.
 
Wednesday's loss preempts a five-day break for the Lancers, who return home to Willett Hall for a two-game homestand against Dartmouth on Nov. 28 and James Madison on Dec. 3.
 
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