Tampa subregional

St. Joseph's

LOCATION: Philadelphia

ENROLLMENT: 7,130.

CONFERENCE: Atlantic 10.

TOURNAMENT BID: At-large.

EAST REGION SEED: No. 7.

STRENGTHS: Coach Phil Martelli faced the daunting task of rebuilding a squad that lost four fifth-year starters who combined for 5,000 points and 2,000 rebounds. So how is it that a year later, with point guard Jameer Nelson the only returning starter, that the 25th-ranked Hawks are headed to the NCAA Tournament? Defense. Martelli studied Penn's full-pressure attack and brought in a special trainer to get his athletes ready for that frenetic pace. Thus he transformed SJU into a defensive giant, and the team is ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense (allowing 59.3 points per game). SJU also leads the A-10 with 5.59 blocks a game. On offense, SJU likes to call the combination of Nelson and 6-foot-4 sophomore Delonte West the best backcourt in the nation. It's hard to argue with these numbers: Nelson is averaging a team-high 19.3 points, but West is pushing him, averaging 17.6 points this season.

WEAKNESSES: The absence of West. West has a stress fracture in his right fibula and was limited to the first six minutes of the the semifinal loss to Dayton. Without him, SJU is having trouble finding a scoring option to complement Nelson. That has allowed opponents to sic their second-best defender on senior 3-point specialist Pat Carroll, smothering the Hawks' best long-range threat. SJU gets 80 percent of its offense from four guards, so the team can't count on the low post game for scoring punch.

WHAT TO EXPECT: A motivated squad looking to prove something after last year's first-round NIT loss. Individually, Saint Joseph's is less talented than last year's squad. Yet it is a better overall team because the Hawks are tougher physically and mentally. Auburn will have its hands full. The Tigers will have to contain Nelson on one end of the floor and try to crack SJU's defense on the other.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "Our success this season has been predicated on pressure defense. All eleven players have been active on the defensive end, which has help to generate a lot of offensive energy." -- Martelli.

"'When my man scores, I take it personally. I beat myself up. If my man scores and it's a really tough shot, I don't get down. Anything I feel is easy I take really personally." -- Junior guard Tyrone Barley.

-- Compiled by Jamal Thalji.

The starters and coach

Jameer Nelson

GUARD, 6-0 JUNIOR

19.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.9 apg

The potential All-American point guard is the star of the Hawks' show and a Wooden Award candidate. Nelson is a composed, mature and intense floor leader.

Pat Carroll

GUARD, 6-5 SOPHOMORE

11.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg

Carroll leads the nation from long range, sinking 76 of 164 3-pointers. Feb. 22 he was 7-of-13 from 3-point range and scored a career-high 27 against St. Bonaventure.

Alexandre Sazonov

CENTER, 7-1 SENIOR

3.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.2 bpg

SJU's defensive improvement starts inside with Sazonov, who leads the A-10's top shot-blocking unit. He's pretty tough for a 7-1 center who weighs 235 pounds.

Dave Mallon

FORWARD, 6-10 FRESHMAN

1.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg

The freshman starter is one of the big bodies the Hawks like to beat up offenses with. He has played the paint so hard he got a concussion in the second half against BC.

Tyrone Barley

GUARD, 6-1 JUNIOR

6.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg

A defensive force, Barley got five starts this year and it looks like the top sub will be seeing even more playing time, filling in for the injured Delonte West.

Coach: Phil Martelli

RECORD: 149-96, eighth season.

Martelli has led SJU to three NCAA and two NIT appearances. But he's best known for his wit. His coach's show was named the nation's best by the Sporting News in 2001.

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