Featuring a veteran core and exciting group of underclassmen, the Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team enters the 2021-22 season with the expectation, to exceed expectations this season after being picked eighth in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. After the cancellation of the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19, the team hopes they can surprise some people in their return to play.
 
"It is exciting to return to play," Head Coach Mike Tully said. "Last year was difficult. As much as we put time into practice on a weekly basis, it is hard to manufacture the same level of intensity that is needed when you have competition in front of you. This team is really looking forward to embracing the journey of a season ahead."
 
This season's Hawks squad will rely a lot on their youth as their roster includes just four players from their 2019-20 squad who posted their fourth consecutive winning season. Thus, not much is known about this year's squad though that could play to RWU's advantage as the opposition does not know much about this year's team either.
 
"I believe we have a very good basketball team," Tully said. "Though we are inexperienced, and only return two players with significant playing experience, we have a versatile and deep basketball team." Adding, "The intensity and work ethic in practice is great and the chemistry is excellent as well."
 
Season Projection
Roger Williams returns just two starters from their 2019-20 squad, but despite that, they do happen to be their best two in senior guard Eli Harris (Falmouth, Mass.) and fifth-year big Drew Hart (Cheshire, Conn.). Each were all-conference selections that season for the Hawks, forming a potent scoring duo, and their return makes them the third-highest incumbent scoring pair in the CCC.
 
Harris was a true breakout star in 2019-20, being named to the All-CCC Second Team in his first season as a starter. He obliterated his freshman season scoring numbers by scoring 16.0 points per game, the 12^th most in the CCC. But what is even more impressive is that he did so while seeing his efficiency also rise. Despite taking 63 more attempts, his three-point percentage remained the same as his freshman season, shooting at a .366 clip, a mark that ranks as the ninth highest in program history. Meanwhile, his field goal percentage rose to .502 from .395 in his first season, and his free throw percentage increased from .815 to .851. While his 3.4 turnovers per game that season is concerning, those things happen to underclassman point guards in their first season as the starter and his 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals per contest are strong marks that he will look to improve upon.
 
Hart, is a two-time All-CCC Third Team selection who is approaching 1000 career points and has been a crucial part of the Hawks' offense since becoming a starter as a sophomore. He ranked 15^th in the conference as a junior netting 15.5 points per game while also leading the team with 6.0 rebounds per game and second on the roster with 2.8 helpers per contest. He is nearing becoming the 27^th member of the 1,000-Point Club in program history and he will get there in no time if he is able to maintain his .548 career-shooting percentage. Hart was third in the Commonwealth Coast Conference with a .605 field goal percentage in 2018-19 and while it fell to a, still very robust, .528 mark in 2019-20, it was still third in the CCC among those who took ten or more shots per game. Hart is difficult to defend because he is a threat at all three levels on offense scoring with both skill and efficiency in the process. He shot .539 from three as a sophomore though he did not qualify for the conference leaderboard. However, his .404 shooting percentage from long range as a junior ranked 12^th in the conference and his .427 connection rate would be second in program-history if it qualified. The team will look for improved shooting from the free throw line (.583 FT%) and better defense (0.5 BPG in 2019-20) to help take the squad to the next level.
 
Another key contributor from the RWU's 2019-20 squad is junior guard E.J. Nelson (Essex Junction, Vt.). Appearing in 25 games with 16 starts as a freshman, while he only scored 6.4 points per contest on a .373/.322/.833 shooting line, Nelson excelled at doing the dirty work in his first season in Bristol. As a result, he was the team's top defender statistically, leading the team with 1.4 steals-plus-blocks per game while also securing 4.2 rebounds per game, the fourth-most on the team and second-most among returners. Combine those numbers with the usual second-season progression that most players enjoy, and Nelson could emerge as a valuable third option for RWU.
 
John Ah Kao (Dumont, N.J.) is the only other returner from the 2019-2020 Hawks squad. That season he played limited minutes across nine games in reserve accumulating four rebounds and two assists. However, he has opened eyes within the team's coaching staff since we last saw him and could be a breakout contributor to this year's team.
 
No matter what way you slice it, the Hawks will be counting on some major contributions from some of their underclassmen including sophomores Mac Annus (Belmont, Mass.) and Nate Lopes (Scituate, Mass.) in addition to freshmen Sean Gogolin (Winchester, Mass.), Will MacDonald (York, Maine), Charles Mukweva (Harare, Zimbabwe), and Nate Mullen (Cape Elizabeth, Maine).
 
As the more experienced members of this group, Annus and Lopes will play a big factor for RWU, meanwhile, Mukweva is fascinating as a player who has shown the ability to be a standout defensively and Mullen may end up as the primary ball-handler when Harris is off the floor. However, Gogolin could end up as a make-or-break type player for Roger Williams as a 6-5 forward and the tallest member of a Hawks squad that lacks size as a whole.