Robby Ptacek and Shemik Thompson scored 16 points apiece and Central Connecticut State held off St. Francis (N.Y.) 64-62 in the quarterfinals of the Northeast Conference tournament Thursday night to end a three-game skid.
The fourth-seeded Blue Devils (19-11), who will face top-seeded Long Island University in a semifinal on Sunday, snapped the fifth-seeded Terriers' four-game winning streak.
Ptacek scored 15 of his points and Thompson 13 after the break. The score was tied eight times before the Blue Devils pulled away late.
But after Central Connecticut State led 62-56 with 1:46 to play, St. Francis (15-15) closed to 63-62 with 29 seconds left on a Travis Nichols layup.
Thompson hit 1 of 2 free throws with 20 seconds left and Ricky Cadell, who led the Terriers with 19 points, missed a floater with 1 second to go.
The Blue Devils had a 45-35 rebounding advantage.
