Streaking teams will clash in the 2025 Northeast Conference Tournament Final on Tuesday as the St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash meet the Central Connecticut Blue Devils. Saint Francis (15-17) has won five straight to put it in position to compete for its second NEC tournament championship in program history. That streak, however, pales in comparison to the 14-game winning streak that the Blue Devils (25-6) are on. CCSU is aiming for its fourth NEC tournament title, and the Blue Devils defeated the Red Flash by 14-plus points in both of their regular-season meetings.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at the Detrick Gymnasium in New Britain, Conn. The Blue Devils are favored by 11.5 points in the latest Saint Francis vs. Central Connecticut odds, per SportsLine consensus. The over/under is 134.5 points. Before entering any Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 18 of the 2024-25 season on a 221-162 betting roll (+1895) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines for Saint Francis vs. Central Connecticut:
- Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis spread: Central Connecticut -11.5
- Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis over/under: 134.5 points
- Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis money line: CCSU -694, Saint Francis +495
- SFU: The Red Flash are 16-13 against the spread in 2024-25
- CCSU: The Blue Devils are 20-9 versus the line this season
- Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Saint Francis can cover
Despite just one of their top six scorers standing taller than 6-foot-5, the Red Flash thrive inside the arc, leading the NEC in 2-point percentage. They don't slouch beyond the arc either, ranking third amongst Northeast Conference teams in made 3-pointers per game. The Saint Francis offense is led by guard Riley Parker (13.6 points) and forward Valentino Pinedo (10.1 points), but it also has depth with an 11-man rotation for coach Rob Krimmel.
Saint Francis is 4-1 against the spread during its five-game win streak, covering in both of its NEC Tournament games. While it is a big underdog versus what has clearly been the best NEC all season, Central Connecticut does have some holes, offensively, that could allow this game to stay competitive. The Blue Devils rank second-worst in the conference in made 3-pointers per game and don't generate many second-chance points, ranking third-worst in the NEC in offensive rebounds. The Blue Devils are also coming off 15 turnovers in their last game, which tied a season high. See which team to pick here.
Why Central Connecticut can cover
With a 20-9 mark versus the spread, CCSU has the best spread record in its conference and among the 10 best spread records in all of Division I. It covered in both regular-season contests versus SFU, and the Blue Devils showed off the efficiency of their offense in those earlier matchups. Central Connecticut combined for more made 3-pointers (15) than turnovers (14) over those two wins, but it's the team's defense which has it on the verge of a potentially sweeping both the regular season and tournament championships.
CCSU ranks among the top 15 teams in the nation in both defensive rating and points allowed per game. Key to that success is that the team is able to defend without fouling as the Blue Devils rank among the top quartile of teams in college basketball in steals per game, but they commit the second-fewest fouls per game. As a result, Central Connecticut doesn't give away free points at the charity stripe as it has allowed both the fewest attempted free throws and made free throws in the country. Central Connecticut gives up just 10.9 free throw attempts per game, and SFU has a 1-4 ATS record when attempting under 11 free throws this season. See which team to pick here.
How to make Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis picks
The model has simulated Saint Francis vs. Central Connecticut 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, projecting 142 combined points. It's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in nearly 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Saint Francis vs. Central Connecticut spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 221-162 roll on top-rated college basketball picks, and find out.
