Busting Brackets
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America East Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

By Salvador Lopez

CATONSVILLE, MD - FEBRUARY 21: The American East Conference logo on the floor before a college basketball game between the Vermont Catamounts and the UMBC Retrievers at the Event Center on February 21, 2019 in Catsonville, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CATONSVILLE, MD - FEBRUARY 21: The American East Conference logo on the floor before a college basketball game between the Vermont Catamounts and the UMBC Retrievers at the Event Center on February 21, 2019 in Catsonville, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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4. Hartford Hawks

Projected Starters

Guards – Moses Flowers (SO), D.J. Mitchell (JR), Austin Williams (SR)
Forwards – Hunter Marks (JR), Miroslav Stafl (SO)
Bench – PJ Henry (SO), Michael Dunne (JR), Cameron McCravy (SO), Thomas Webley (FR), Rastislav Sipkovsky (FR), Briggs McClain (FR), Matt Hobbs (SR), AJ Gray (FR)

In Hartford’s 10 seasons under head coach John Gallagher, the Hawks have never posted a 20-plus win season. However, they have been close. Hartford finished last season with an 18-15 record, in which they were one upset win away from receiving their first NCAA Tournament berth.

In the offseason, the Hawks suffered two notable losses. The biggest departure from the roster was All-Conference First-Team guard, Malik Ellison (18.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg) who graduated from the program. Ellison nearly averaged a double-double last season. He was a high-volume shooter that carried the bulk of Hartford’s scoring and was efficient from the floor doing so, shooting 51.4 percent from the floor in 2019-20.

The second starter lost to graduation was Hartford’s point guard Traci Carter (9.7 ppg, 4.9 apg, 2.5 spg), who was a Third-Team All-Conference selection last season. Carter was a defensive playmaker that ranked ninth nationally in steals per game last season.

As for this season, Hartford has major question marks at the guard position, as Gallagher will have to fill two new starting guard spots. The strong suit of the Hawks this season should be the forwards, which Hartford has two forwards with size that can be used to their advantage.

Hartford’s two forwards returning this season will have to make the jump in rebounding. The Hawks ranked last in the conference in rebounding last season. The first forward heading back to Hartford is 6-9 junior Hunter Marks (10.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg).

Marks was second in rebounds last season on Hartford behind teammate Ellison. He played his best basketball in the 2020 America East Tournament, tallying 17 points each against UMass Lowell and Stony Brook. Marks also shot an impressive 5-for-6 from three-point range in the America East Semifinals against Stony Brook. I predict that Marks will lead the Hawks this season in scoring and rebounding, along with being a much improved three-point shooter.

The second forward heading back to Hartford is 6-10 sophomore Miroslav Stafl (8.8 ppg, 4 rpg). Even though Stafl was listed as Hartford’s tallest player on the roster last season, he only averaged four rebounds per game. I expect a much improved season on the boards in year two for Stafl.

Now, we will take a look at Hartford’s returning guards that I expect as starters. Sophomore Moses Flowers (10.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg), who was selected to the 2020 America East All-Rookie Team, has breakout potential to lead Hartford this season. Flowers averaged 28 minutes per game while showing flashes of future conference star potential.

He scored 28 points as a freshman last season twice against St. Francis (BKN) and New Hampshire. Flowers was most dominant last season when his three-point shot was able to drop. He had five games as a freshman in which he made at least four three-point shots.

The final two guards for Hartford that I predict to move up into the starting lineup are junior D.J. Mitchell (6.4 ppg) and Austin Williams. Mitchell started one game last season and should see his minutes increase. He averaged 22 minutes per game in 2019-20 and scored 17 points in 18 minutes last season against Wagner. Meanwhile, Williams is a senior transfer from Marist. He averaged 4.5 points per game in 2018-19.

Hartford will have four players returning this season that averaged 22 or more minutes per game in 2019-20. Flowers and Stafl were part of the starting lineup as freshmen last season. I think that Hartford has a bright future, and I predict that they will be a top-tier conference team this season.

However, I think Hartford is one year away from making a run at the conference title. The loss of Ellison carrying the Hawks hurts, but if Flowers and Stafl can take the second-year jump, I have Hartford on my radar for 2021-22.

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