Don't look now, but there could be a team from Connecticut making noise in the NCAA Tournament come March — outside of the one everyone already knows.
The Hartford Hawks have won a school−record 16 straight games and remain undefeated in conference play in the America East after a dominating 61−38 win over Boston University in West Hartford, Conn. on Sunday afternoon. People are starting to take notice of the Hawks' 23−3 record, as they are now ranked No. 23 in the ESPN/USA Today poll after cracking the top 25 for the first time in school history on Feb. 9.
Hartford's last loss came over two months ago, on Dec. 19 against Marist, the top team in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and its other two setbacks came at the hands of two Big East foes: Providence and the virtually unbeatable UConn Huskies. But those losses haven't hurt the Hawks much, as they are still one of just two mid−major teams inside the top 25 of the RPI rankings, along with Xavier.
So how have the Hawks gone from a squad that lost in the second round of the women's NIT tournament last season to a team that is now making some headway in the rankings? The answer is defense.
Hartford has held opponents to under 35 percent shooting from the field thus far and is the third−best team in the nation in terms of scoring defense, allowing just 50.9 points per game. The Hawks have not allowed a team to score more than 55 points in a game since their 70−65 victory over Binghamton on Jan. 16, and have held their opponent to under 40 points on seven occasions.
Their strong effort on the defensive side has been the key component in their recent streak. In no game was this more evident than on Jan. 26 against America East rival University of Vermont. Hartford visited the Catamounts in a key battle for conference supremacy, and a defensive slugfest ensued.
Neither team led by more than five points throughout the game, and the score was tied with 16 seconds remaining. But senior forward Diana Delva got a putback on a missed layup with just over two seconds remaining to give her team the 38−36 win.
Delva is one of the leaders on this team, and the two−time America East second−team all−conference selection is leading her team in scoring for the second straight year. Delva is averaging 13.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, which is also a team high, in addition to being the most efficient offensive player in the nation, shooting an astounding 67 percent from the field. Inside, along with fellow senior Erica Beverly, Delva gives the Hawks a formidable tandem.
Beverly, a preseason candidate for the Wooden Award, which honors the best female collegiate basketball player each season, gives Hartford a stalwart defender in the paint with her 2.3 blocks per game. She is also the team leader in steals and is the second offensive option inside for the Hawks, averaging 9.2 points and chipping in with seven rebounds as well. Together, Beverly and Delva can match up against almost any forward duo in the country.
Hartford has also received great contributions off the bench from its guards, including freshman Daphne Elliott and sophomore Ilicia Mathis. Junior guard Jackie Smith gives the Hawks a steadying presence in the backcourt, averaging 7.1 points per game and serving as the top outside threat for her team.
Hartford has two games remaining before the American East conference tournament ushers in postseason play. The Hawks will head to Albany tonight, looking to bring their win streak to 17 games before Vermont comes to Chase Arena for a rematch to close out the team's regular season schedule on Saturday.
With a chance to continue moving up in the rankings and solidify a high seeding in the NCAA Tournament, Hartford is sure to be motivated as the calendar turns to March. And if the Hawks get the trip through the tournament field, they could be a team that no one wants to match up against.
