Last season, the University of Chicago men's basketball team made the Division 3 tournament for the first time since 2007, only to watch St. John's celebrate a last-second win on their home floor.

"We just lost the ball, lost our balance... I just kind of dropped my head afterwards... It was crushing. But after a day or two, I realized this might pay us dividends in the future," said Mike McGrath, who is in his 27th season as head coach.

McGrath was right. The maroons are 16-2 in the season, currently ranked number one in Division 3 for just the second time in program history, led by a couple of grad transfers and a hunger for more.

"We want to go far and do it. We feel that every day in practice," said grad student guard transfer Nick Roper.

"We loved making it to the tournament... a little bit of success and... build on it this year," said senior guard Joe Berry.

The last time the Maroons were ranked number one, no one on the current roster was even born, but they are built the same way. They are good students and talented basketball players who want to win. It is a combination that has become the identity of this program.

"You want to give more than you take, and our guys take that seriously," McGrath said.

"There's a really special culture. Everybody wants to come together and accomplish great things," Roper said.

"I think it's a lot about loyalty. Student section, guys are great," Berry said.