The Rivalry between the Hope College and Calvin College men's basketball teams resumes for the 191st time tonight, but in a familar setting.
The two have become regular participants in the championship game of the MIAA Tournament. Tipoff is 7:30 p.m. at Calvin.
Photo of Sam Otto by Rob Kurtycz
GAME NOTES
This is Hope's 16th appearance in the men's title game of the MIAA Tournament and the 10th in a row. Today's winner receives the MIAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Flying Dutchmen are 11-4 all-time in MIAA title games. Hope's last tournament title came in 2002 from a 65-62 overtime victory against Adrian at DeVos Fieldhouse.
Hope owns a 10-5 record against Calvin in the MIAA Tournament, including an 8-3 mark in the championship game. The Flying Dutchmen lead the all-time series 98-92, even though they lost both regular-season meetings during the 2014-15 season.
The Flying Dutchmen have met Calvin for the MIAA Tournament title eight of the past nine seasons. Hope are 5-3 vs. the Knights in that stretch.
Click here for Hope's MIAA Tournament history.
In last season's MIAA title game, the Flying Dutchmen suffered a 78-53 defeat at DeVos
Fieldhouse after Calvin erupted for 49 second-half points. Four Calvin players scored in double figures, led by Jordan Brink's 21 points. Hope's high of 10 points was shared by starting center Nate Van Arendonk and Sam Otto.
This is Hope's 55th MIAA Tournament game. The Flying Dutchmen are 42-11 all-time in postseason play, including a 55-44 win at Trine in Thursday's semifinal.
Sophomore Harrison Blackledge led a trio of Hope players to score in double figures against Trine. He finished with a game-high 19 points. Junior forward Sam Otto contributed a season-high 15 off the bench. Junior center Brock Benson chipped in 12 points, including the game's first eight to take the Flying Dutch to a lead they did not relinquish. Hope had dropped its MIAA opener at Trine 65-62 on January 7.
Harrison Blackledge has led the Flying Dutchmen in scoring both games against Calvin this season. He is averaging 21.5 points vs. the Knights. Blackledge netted a game-high 24 points during an 83-77 loss at Calvin on February 4 and 19 points in an 88-64 defeat on January 10 at DeVos Fieldhouse. Blackledge is shooting 60 percent from the field (12-20) and 83.3 percent from the foul line (15-18) against Calvin.
Hope's top three defensive efforts of the season have come in the Flying Dutchmen's past two games. Hope allowed a season-best 41 points during a February 21 win against Adrian before the MIAA Tournament opener at Trine. The Flying Dutchmen have allowed 46.7 points per game since yielding a season-worst 91 at Alma.
Hope entered the week ranked fourth in NCAA Division III in free-throw shootings and second in the MIAA at 79.2 percent. Junior guard Alex Eidson is third in the MIAA at 88.3 percent, while junior guard Ben Gardner is fourth at 87.6. Harrison Blackledge is tied for seventh at 83.3 percent. Calvin's Jordan Brink tops the MIAA at 90.7 percent.
