Chad Carlson

Guards Alex Eidson and Ben Gardner both scored a game-high 21 points as the Hope men's basketball team defeated Centre, Ky., on Tuesday 75-68 at the Coach Connor Classic in Crestview Hills, Ky.

The Flying Dutchmen improved to 4-5 overall. They will play tournament host Thomas More, Ky., in Tuesday's finale at 7 p.m.

Hope outscored Centre (6-3 overall) after halftime by a 39-29 margin.

"This team was a very, very good team. They had beaten Otterbein (Ohio), which is a perennial power," Hope coach Matt Neil said. "We had a terrific second half. Our guys got a little gritty. They got back to playing defense prior to the guy catching the ball — just like we did when we started the game. We really attacked on offense in the second half."

Eidson, a sophomore from Grand Haven (Grand Haven HS), shot 58.3 percent from the field (7-of-12) and 85.7 percent from the foul line (6-of-7).

Eidson also grabbed nine rebounds, trailing only teammate Nate VanArendonk of Grand Haven (Grand Haven HS), who collected 10.

Gardner, a sophomore from Carmel, Ind. (Carmel HS), shot 54.5 percent from the floor (6-of-11) and 90 percent from the foul line (9-of-10).

Freshman guard Chad Carlson of Rockford (Rockford HS) buried a game-high three 3-pointers for Hope and finished with nine points. VanArendonk added eight points.

Thomas More is 2-8 on the season after losing to Cincinnati Christian 102-66 in Monday's second tournament game. Freshman guard/forward Nate McGovney led Thomas More with 16 points, while junior forward Jalen Clark added 14 points.

Click here for Thomas More's tournament website.

Neil said his team is now focused on defeating Thomas More and getting back to .500 before ringing in the new year.

"It certainly has been a topic of conversation. We want to end 2013 at .500," Neil said. "I think we're capable of that. We play against a really gritty Thomas More team. They like to get it up and down the floor."