Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball

Saint Joseph's Hawks
2015–16 Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team
University Saint Joseph's University
Conference A-10
Location Philadelphia, PA
Head coach Phil Martelli (22nd year)
Arena Michael J. Hagan '85 Arena
(Capacity: 4,200)
Nickname Hawks
Colors Crimson and Gray
         
Uniforms
Home
Away
NCAA Tournament Final Four
1961*
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
1961*, 1981, 1991, 2004
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen
1961*, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1981, 1997, 2004
NCAA Tournament appearances
1959, 1960, 1961*, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2016
*vacated by NCAA
Conference tournament champions
1981, 1982, 1986, 1997, 2014, 2016
Conference regular season champions
1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010

The Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Saint Joe's competes as well as part of the Philadelphia Big 5. Saint Joseph's home court is the Hagan Arena. The team is currently led by coach Phil Martelli in his 22nd year.

Through the years they have produced a number of NBA players. Saint Joseph's most bitter rivalry is with the Villanova Wildcats. Other rivals include the Temple Owls, the La Salle Explorers, the Penn Quakers, all of the Big 5. Saint Joseph's basketball program was ranked 43rd best of all-time by Smith & Street's magazine in 2005.[1]

History

Men's basketball is the most popular sport at Saint Joseph's University. The Hawks have competed in twenty-one NCAA Tournaments and sixteen NIT Tournaments. Throughout the school's history, 29 different players have been drafted into the NBA. The Hawks have been ranked 77 times in their history, 51 of which have been in the top 10.[2]

The Hawks appeared in 11 NCAA Tournaments between 1959 and 1974. The Hawks were coached by Hall of Fame coach "Dr. Jack" Ramsay from 1955 to 1966. Ramsay compiled a 234–72 record in his 11 years at Saint Joseph's. They reached Final Four in 1961 (although their 1961 3rd-place finish was later revoked by the NCAA,[3]). Ramsay went on to coach several NBA teams and won the 1977 NBA Championship.

Jack McKinney took over after Ramsay left and led the Hawks to four more NCAA Tournaments between 1969 and 1974.

Following the 1974 season, the Hawks, with 11 fellow larger schools from the Middle Atlantic Conference, formed the new East Coast Conference.

In 1980–81, the Hawks, led by coach Jim Lynam, finished in second place in ECC play and won the ECC Tournament to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament. As a #9 seed, the Hawks defeated Creighton in the First Round and upset #1 seeded and #1 ranked DePaul to reach the Sweet Sixteen. The Hawks defeated Boston College to advance to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual National Champion, Indiana. Lynam also left the Hawks to enjoy a long career as a coach and executive in the NBA.

Saint Joseph's joined the Atlantic 10 Conference prior to the 1982–83 season.

Perfect regular season

The 2003–2004 Saint Joseph's University Hawks were the last Division I College Basketball team to finish the Regular Season undefeated before the Wichita State Shockers did so in 2013–14. Saint Joseph's ended the regular season with a 27–0 record and secured a #1 national ranking and a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Hawks were led by a backcourt of Jameer Nelson and Delonte West, both of whom were drafted in the 1st round of the 2004 NBA draft. The Hawks advanced to the Elite Eight with wins over Liberty, Texas Tech, and #17 Wake Forest. In the Elite Eight, they lost to Oklahoma State 64–62.

Nelson was named National Player of the Year while coach Phil Martelli was named Coach of the Year.

In 2009, the 2004 Hawks were named the best single-season team of the decade by Sports Illustrated.[4]

Current era

The 2004–05 team attempted to repeat the prior year's success without its two star players. The Hawks again won the A-10, but lost the A-10 Tournament championship to George Washington and failed to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament. However, they did receive a bid to the NIT and advanced to the Championship game before losing to South Carolina, 60–57.

The Hawks were able to repeat their trip to the NIT in 2006, but the Hawks lost in the second round to Hofstra.

The 2007–08 team finished in 4th place in A-10 play with a 21–13 record. They lost to Temple in the A-10 Tournament and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. There, they lost to Oklahoma in the First Round.

The Hawks made trips to the NIT in 2012 and 2013, losing in the first round both years.

The 2013–14 Hawks finished the season with a 24–10 record and a third place finish in A-10 play. The Hawks won the A-10 Tournament by beating #23 VCU and earned the school's first bid since 2008 to the NCAA Tournament. The Hawks lost to eventual National Champions, Connecticut, in the Second Round (formerly the First Round).

Following the NCAA appearance in 2014, the Hawks looked to build on their success in 2014–15, but suffered a setback, finishing the season with 13–18 record.

The most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament came in 2016. The 2015–16 team finished the season with a 28–8 record, a game out of first place in A-10 play. DeAndre' Bembry was named A-10 Player of the Year. The Hawks won the A-10 Tournament for the fourth time by defeating VCU. The Hawks were awarded a #8 seed in the NCAA Tournament and defeated Cincinnati in the First Round before losing to Oregon.

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Hawks have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 21 times. Their combined record is 19–25.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1959 Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game 		West Virginia
Navy 		L 92–95
L 56–70
1960 Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game 		Duke
West Virginia 		L 56–58
L 100–106
1961 Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place Game 		Princeton
Wake Forest
Ohio State
Utah 		W 72–67
W 96–86
L 69–95
W 127–1204OT
1962 Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game 		Wake Forest
NYU 		L 85–96OT
L 85–94
1963 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight 		Princeton
West Virginia
Duke 		W 82–81OT
W 97–88
L 59–73
1965 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game 		Connecticut
Providence
NC State 		W 67–61
L 73–81OT
L 81–103
1966 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game 		Providence
Duke
Davidson 		W 65–48
L 74–76
W 92–76
1969 First Round Duquesne L 52–74
1971 First Round Villanova L 75–93
1973 First Round Providence L 76–86
1974 First Round Pittsburgh L 42–54
1981 #9 First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight 		#8 Creighton
#1 DePaul
#5 Boston College
#3 Indiana 		W 59–57
W 49–48
W 42–41
L 46–78
1982 #6 First Round #11 Northeastern L 62–63
1986 #6 First Round
Second Round 		#11 Richmond
#14 Cleveland State 		W 60–59
L 69–75
1997 #4 First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen 		#13 Pacific
#5 Boston College
#1 Kentucky 		W 75–65
W 81–77OT
L 68–83
2001 #9 First Round
Second Round 		#9 Georgia Tech
#1 Stanford 		W 66–62
L 83–90
2003 #7 First Round #10 Auburn L 63–65OT
2004 #1 First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight 		#16 Liberty
#8 Texas Tech
#4 Wake Forest
#2 Oklahoma State 		W 82–63
W 70–65
W 84–80
L 62–64
2008 #11 First Round #6 Oklahoma L 64–72
2014 #10 Second Round #7 Connecticut L 81–89OT
2016 #8 First Round
Second Round 		#9 Cincinnati
#1 Oregon 		W 78–76
L 64–69

NIT results

The Hawks have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 16 times. Their combined record is 16–16.

Year Round Opponent Result
1956 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game 		Seton Hall
Louisville
St. Francis (NY) 		W 74–65
L 79–89
W 93–82
1958 First Round
Quarterfinals 		Saint Peter's
St. Bonaventure 		W 83–76
L 75–79
1964 First Round
Quarterfinals 		Miami (FL)
Bradley 		W 86–76
L 81–83
1972 First Round Maryland L 55–67
1979 First Round Ohio State L 66–80
1980 First Round Texas L 61–70
1984 First Round Boston College L 63–75
1985 First Round
Second Round 		Missouri
Virginia 		W 68–67
L 61–68
1993 First Round Southwest Missouri State L 34–56
1995 First Round Coppin State L 68–75
1996 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals 		Iona
Providence
Rhode Island
Alabama
Nebraska 		W 82–78
W 82–62
W 76–59
W 74–69
L 56–60
2002 Opening Round
First Round 		George Mason
Ball State 		W 73–64
L 65–75
2005 Opening Round
First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals 		Hofstra
Buffalo
Holy Cross
Texas A&M
Memphis
South Carolina 		W 53–44
W 55–50
W 68–60
W 58–51
W 70–58
L 57–60
2006 First Round
Second Round 		Rutgers
Hofstra 		W 71–62
L 75–77
2012 First Round Northern Iowa L 65–67
2013 First Round St. John's L 61–63

Rivals

The main rival has been the Villanova University Wildcats which is locally referred to as the Holy War. Saint Joseph's also has a heated rivalry with the Temple University Owls, the La Salle University Explorers, and the University of Pennsylvania Quakers. Because games against Drexel University are in-city, the two teams are sometimes considered rivals but Saint Joseph's leads the all-time series 43 to 6. The all-time series between La Salle and the Hawks is 63 to 49 in SJU's favor. They are losing the all-time series against Temple 63 to 75, Villanova 25 to 47, and winning the series with Penn 45 to 32. Overall, the Hawks are 112–83 in the Big 5 which is the best among Big 5 schools.

Traditions

Fans of the Hawks often chant "The Hawk Will Never Die!". In a September 2003 issue, Sports Illustrated listed that cheer among The 100 Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate (Whatever the Cost), calling it "the most defiant cheer in college sports".[5]

  • Midnight Madness The first men's varsity basketball practice, Midnight Madness is an event which allows students and fans to attend. Players entertain the crowd by putting on events such as slam dunk contests.
  • The Drum It is believed the Drum played a significant role in many important wins. The Drum leads the student section during fight songs and chants. Today this tradition lives on with a new generation of drummers.
  • Rollouts During Big 5 match-ups, each student section prepares written messages on large rollouts that are passed down the crowd.[6]
  • The Double Dip Anytime the Saint Joseph's Hawks win the same day or night the Villanova Wildcats lose. The ultimate double dip occurs when the Hawks beat the Wildcats.
  • Fight Songs 'When the Hawks Go Flying In' is sung before every game and 'Mine Eyes' is sung immediately after every game regardless of the outcome.
  • Cheers Cheers include "Let's go St. Joe's!" and of course "The Hawk Will Never Die!" which is reserved for the end of games.
  • 54th Airborne The student section at SJU basketball games is known for being deafening. At the Hagan Arena there are about 1,200 seats for students (over 1/4 of the total seating). The section, along with the pep band, leads the cheers for the rest of the crowd. The core members of the 54th Airborne make up the Student Booster Club. These students work to come up with the rollouts for Big 5 games.

Retired numbers

The Hawks have retired four numbers for seven players, with No. 4 retired in honor of four players:

Accolades and achievements

Notable players

NBA Draftees

Active professional players

Men's basketball in Saint Joseph's athletics Hall of Fame

Current coaching staff

All-time head coaches

Current Div. I Head Coaches Who Were Assistants at Saint Joseph's

Alumni Who Are Current Div. I Coaches/Administrators

References

  1. ↑ D.A. Resler, Street and Smith's Magazine. "100 Greatest College Basketball Programs of All Time". Archived from the original on April 24, 2008. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Ranked Hawks". hawkhoopclub.org.
  3. ↑ "Review of the Literature". Umich.edu. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  4. ↑ Mustard, Extra. "Sports News, Scores and Highlights from Sports Illustrated - SI.com". M.si.com. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  5. ↑ "The 100 Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate (Whatever the Cost)". Sports Illustrated. September 24, 2003.
  6. ↑ http://hawkhoopclub.org/images/atradition.jpg
  7. ↑ "College Basketball – 100 Greatest Programs". DAResler.net.
  8. ↑ Davis, Seth (December 16, 2009). "Best (And Worst) Of 2000s: College Basketball". SI.com (Sports Illustrated). Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  9. ↑ "2007 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball All-Time Winningest Teams" (PDF). NCAA.
  10. ↑ "Prestige Rankings: The conferences". Sports.espn.go.com. 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 25, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.