Flint took the long walk down the steps to greet reporters outside the Landmark American Tap & Grill on campus and had to sum up his frustration with a second perceived snub in six seasons.
The Drexel coach also felt the Dragons should have earned a berth in 2007 when they were 23-9.
Normally upbeat, he tried to appear that way, but on this day his emotions gave way to the killer combo of frustration and hurt.
As is his nature, his head won't be hanging long as Flint realizes the Dragons have no other choice but to regroup.
"I think I am a little more disappointed this time than last time," Flint said.
Yet Flint isn't one to wallow in self pity and he made it clear that his team would be ready to play in the NIT.
In 2007, after Drexel had beaten the likes of Villanova and Syracuse, the Dragons earned an NIT bid after failing to secure an NCAA berth. Drexel promptly lost an opening-round home game, 63-56, to North Carolina State.
So this time his message was clear.
"I said no matter what tournament we are in, we have a chance to win," he said.
Drexel will face a UCF team that was 22-10 and finished third in Conference USA. The Drexel-UCF winner will meet the winner of the game between No. 2-seeded St. Joseph's and No.7-seeded Northern Iowa at Hagan Arena.
None of that took away the collective sting the Dragons felt after the last of the NCAA bracket was revealed and Drexel's name wasn't called.
"There was just silence," Flint said.
The first sign that Drexel was in trouble was when Iona earned a First Four play-in game for the No. 14 seed in the West Region. Iona will meet BYU on Tuesday in Dayton, with the winner facing No. 3-seeded Marquette.
The NCAA Committee showed that it valued numbers such as RPI and schedule strength, despite insisting that watching the teams was important.
Iona was 25-7 and won the regular-season Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. The Gaels were upset by Fairfield in the conference tournament semifinals. Loyola of Maryland earned the conference's automatic bid.
"I am not putting the MAAC down, but they got two teams from the MAAC," Flint said.
Iona had a 41 RPI, compared to 66 for Drexel and a schedule strength of 144 compared to 213 for the Dragons.
The Gaels had no wins over top 50 teams, while Drexel had one (over VCU in the regular season). Locally, Iona beat St. Joseph's at home and Drexel lost to the Hawks at Hagan Arena.
No doubt Iona will be this year's VCU, where teams that didn't get in will direct the anger toward the Gaels.
Upsets in conference tournaments, such as St. Bonaventure winning the Atlantic-10 and earning the league's fourth bid, also contributed to Drexel's plight.
Flint also knew the Dragons were in trouble when CAA tournament champion VCU, a Final Four team last year, only earned a No. 12 seed.
"Honestly, it goes to tell you what people think of our conference," Flint said. "When I saw that I said, 'Wow.'"
Flint insisted there were no wet eyes when the entire field was revealed.
"I don't want them to have tears because we are still playing," Flint said.
Contact Marc Narducci at mnarducci@phillynews.com, 856-779-3225 or on Twitter @sjnard. Find the Drexel blog at www.philly.com/dragonball.
