Conference: Atlantic 10Record: 21-12 (9-7 A-10)
RPI: 44
How They Got In: At Large
Seed/Bracket: 11/East
Mascot: Hawks. Students apply and go through an interview process to don the Hawk costume, which comes with a scholarship, and must flap their wings nonstop through every game. ESPN once clocked the Hawk at 3,500 flaps during a regulation game.
Big Wins: Two wins over Xavier in an eight-day span at the season's end is why the Hawks are dancing. They also swept UMass and beat Villanova and Siena.
Notable Loss: A 102-88 loss at Duquesne ended a six-game winning streak and sent Saint Joe's on a death spiral that nearly cost them a chance at the tournament.
Player You Should Know: SEC fans are familiar with Florida freshman Nick Calathes but the whole nation will get a chance to acquaint themselves with his older brother Pat. They'll like what they see. He might not play with little bro's flair but he he scores inside, hits 41% of his three-pointers and grabs eight rebounds a night.
Outlook: Their biggest problem this season came in minutes 39 and 40 of games. The Hawks let more close ones get away late than any team in the country which overshadowed their more pleasant attributes. They're one of the best shooting teams in the country, have an enviable balance of scoring and play a high-pressure defense that can lead to big runs. If they play the whole way, they have the tools to beat almost anyone but, more likely, they'll bow out before the first weekend is over.
