The 27-1 Hawks will be scoreboard-watching today and tomorrow as they await Selection Sunday and the answers to the questions above concerning their place in this year's Field of 64.

Saint Joseph's first defeat of this magical season, a 20-point whipping by Xavier in the Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinals in Dayton on Thursday, broke the stranglehold the Hawks had placed on a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. While the numbers still break in SJU's favor, the team now must battle the perception among some observers that it is somehow less deserving of consideration for a No. 1 seeding than other schools.

Perhaps that's why head coach Phil Martelli spoke so passionately about his team's place in the bracket following the loss to Xavier.

"I don't think it's going to change," he said. "It will be a body of work [the Selection Committee will consider]. This is the 20th game away from our Fieldhouse, and we're 19-1. The committee will do us right because of the body of work, not 40 minutes."

The Musketeers' Lionel Chalmers, whose brilliant play helped to sink the Hawks Thursday, also pegged Saint Joseph's as a top seed.

"They're a great team," he said. "They didn't go 27-0 at one point for no reason."

All season long, as Saint Joseph's winning streak lengthened, Martelli scoffed at anyone who suggested that a loss could have some beneficial effects. But on Thursday, he pointed out that the Hawks' next defeat would mean the collection of uniforms and the conclusion to their season, and suggested that his players would find motivation in that.

"We must become and will become a desperate team," Martelli said. "I have great confidence that this team will respond emotionally."

The seedings will be announced on CBS-TV Sunday at 6 p.m. First-round NCAA Tournament games will be held next Thursday and Friday.