Four games into America East (AE) play, Pipe Dream takes a look at how the teams in the conference have fared so far. Teams are listed in the order of the current conference standings.

1. Vermont
15-5, 5-0 AE

After being picked as the preseason favorite, Vermont has started AE play on fire. The Catamounts are blowing teams out by an average of 16.4 points per game. They rank third in the conference in scoring offense (73.8), second in scoring defense (64.7) and lead the conference in field goal percentage, shooting 48.6 percent from the floor. Vermont is the team to beat in the AE.

2. Stony Brook
9-8, 4-0 AE

After losing their two best players and head coach, the Seawolves have surprised many with their undefeated start to the AE season. The defending conference champs don’t have eye-popping offensive numbers, but they’re causing turnovers at a high rate. Stony Brook leads the conference with a +3.94 turnover margin and a 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio. SBU has had quality road wins over UNH and UML, and seems to be finding its groove under new head coach Jeff Boals after starting the season 5-8.

3. UMBC
12-6, 3-2 AE

The Retrievers are another surprise team early on in conference play. After an abysmal 2015-16 season, UMBC has turned it around under new coach Ryan Odom. The team has surpassed its win total from last season and has matched its number of AE wins from a year ago. The Retrievers boast the league’s best scoring offense (80.0), thanks largely to how well they shoot the ball. They are first in 3-point field goal percentage (40.4 percent) and second in overall field goal percentage (47.4 percent). Junior guard Jairus Lyles, whose 20.2 points per game is second-best in the AE, has spearheaded UMBC’s offense.

4. UMass Lowell
8-11, 3-2 AE

UML’s biggest asset is redshirt junior guard Jahad Thomas, a stat machine who is playing outstanding basketball this season. He’s ranked third in scoring (17.4), first in rebounding (9.8), first in field goal percentage (60.5 percent), second in assists (4.4) and third in steals (1.5). Thomas has helped propel UMass Lowell to an average of 77.9 points per game. However, defense is still an issue for the River Hawks, who give up an average of 80.1 points per game.

5. New Hampshire
11-7, 2-2 AE

UNH was picked to finish second in the preseason AE poll, but has struggled so far in conference play. The Wildcats have already lost two home games — a three-point loss to Stony Brook and a 12-point loss to Vermont. They were held under 60 points in both contests and currently rank seventh in the conference in scoring offense, averaging just 69.6 points per game. They do, however, have two stars on the offensive end in junior forward Tanner Leissner and senior guard Jaleen Smith. Each is in the top ten in the AE in scoring, averaging 15.5 and 14.8 points per game, respectively.

6. Albany
10-9, 1-3 AE

Albany is not used to being in the bottom half of the conference. The Great Danes had won three AE titles in a row before Stony Brook captured the championship last season. They were picked to finish third in the preseason poll, but lost three straight contests to start the conference slate. Albany ranks fourth in the AE in scoring offense (71.8) and third in scoring defense (68.6). The Great Danes played much better in their last contest, holding UMBC to only 50 points while pouring in 77 of their own.

7. Hartford
6-13, 1-3 AE

Not much was expected of Hartford, especially after the transfer of the team’s leading scorer from a year ago, Pancake Thomas. The Hawks opened up AE play with a tough schedule, playing Vermont, UMBC and UML. Hartford is in the bottom three of most AE stat categories, but they shoot well, averaging 36 percent beyond the arc. They also have the conference’s leading scorer, redshirt senior guard Jalen Ross, who puts up an average of 20.8 points per game. Their lack of offense outside of Ross and sophomore guard Jason Dunne (13.2 ppg) has been their pitfall in conference play.

8. Maine
5-15, 1-4 AE

Maine, much like Hartford, was not expected to make any noise. That has held true thus far, as the Black Bears have just one AE win to their name. Maine is one of the better offensive rebounding teams in the AE, averaging 11.5 per game. The Black Bears average only 12.6 turnovers per game, tied for third fewest in the conference. Their struggles are due largely to their poor field goal percentage. They rank eighth, shooting the ball at a 40.9 percent clip. A bright spot for Maine has been junior guard Wes Meyers, who is fifth in scoring average in the AE, putting up 16.3 points a game.

9. Binghamton
9-10, 0-4 AE

After being picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll and achieving a program record for nonconference wins, Binghamton has been the conference’s biggest disappointment so far in conference play. Injury struck the Bearcats when their leading scorer, sophomore J.C. Show, went down with a season-ending torn tricep last month. He had been averaging 13.3 points per game and was a huge reason for BU’s success. The Bearcats still posses a potent offense, though, ranking fifth in points per game (71.1) and second in 3-point field goal percentage (37.3 percent). The have struggled on the boards, ranking seventh with a -2.1 rebounding margin. They will have to up their play on both ends of the floor if they want to make it back into the top half of the standings.