2014 NCAA tournament preview: Saint Joseph's

Season summary: St. Joseph’s may have just won its first Atlantic 10 Tournament since 1997, and it may be going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008—but don’t underestimate the Hawks. Then-No. 21 Massachusetts did Feb. 1, when St. Josephs secured a 73-68 victory after junior Chris Wilson sunk two free throws with only 30 seconds on the clock. And then-No. 23 Virginia Commonwealth did March 16, when senior Langston Galloway’s 3-pointer in the final minutes of the game’s second half catapulted the Hawks to the A-10 tournament championship. Galloway has been St. Joseph’s top offensive weapon throughout the season, averaging 17.5 points and 3.2 treys per game. The Hawks’ most reliable player, however, has been A-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player Halil Kanacevic, who leads St. Joseph’s in rebounds per game (8.8) and notched a double-double against the Rams with 11 points and 14 boards. Despite victories against Massachusetts and VCU, and a close road loss to the Minutemen in January, the Hawks were beleaguered by the two other ranked opponents they faced—crushed by St. Louis and Villanova by 16 and 30 points, respectively. Will the tough competition in the Big Dance be too much to handle?

How they make a run: Martelli, who has reached the NCAA Tournament in five other seasons, enlists Galloway, Kenacevic and other seniors to help guide his inexperienced team through the tournament.