Saint Joseph's Hawks
Record: 27-7 (13-5 Atlantic 10)
Head Coach: Phil Martelli (21st season)
Season Recap: After winning just 13 games a year ago, the Hawks took a giant leap this season and came away with the Atlantic 10 Championship trophy. Saint Joseph's took off with a 13-2 stretch early in the season that included wins against Virginia Tech and Temple. The Hawks' strong season has a lot to do with the dynamic duo of junior DeAndre' Bembry and forward Isaiah Miles, who won Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Most Improved Player honors, respectively.
Miles and Bembry are the team's top two scorers and rebounders and can impact the game in multiple ways. Miles has flashed the ability to score from the perimeter—where he shoots 39 percent from beyond the arc—and the 6-foot-6 Bembry does most of his damage down low, finishing inside against taller defenders.
How they make a run: The Hawks get big performances from Miles and Bembry and continue to do the little things well—St. Joe's ranks inside the top 15 in the nation in fewest turnovers and fewest fouls committed per game.
How they falter: St. Joe's suffers as its pair of stars are neutralized by a more athletic team, and the Hawks' lack of secondary scoring options comes back to bite them.
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