The Hope College men's basketball team is looking to advance past the second round for the seventh time in 25 NCAA Tournament appearances tonight at Augustana, Illinois. Tipoff is 7 p.m. Central. The Flying Dutchmen last made sectionals in 2008 when they placed third in the nation.
Hope owns a 6-4 record in second-round games, including losses in their past two appearances: 2012 to Illinois Wesleyan in a 108-101 double-overtime defeat at DeVos Fieldhouse and 2011 to host Augustana, Illinois in an 88-80 overtime loss.
The Flying Dutchmen own an all-time record in NCAA Tournament games of 29-25 after Friday's 98-87 first-round win against Mount St. Joseph, Ohio. Hope was in command after taking a 55-33 halftime lead that featured 72.4 percent field-goal shooting (21-of-29).
Hope is 0-2 all-time against Augustana. In the 2011 meeting, Will Bowser led the Flying Dutchmen with a game-high 29 points. Logan Neil chipped in 14 points, while David Krombeen had 11. Hope forced overtime by outscoring the Vikings 44-34 during the second half, but Augustana responded 14 of the overtime's 20 points.
The Flying Dutchmen lost the 2004 regular-season meeting 82-64 to Augustana in the first round of the Russ DeVette Holiday Classic at Holland Civic Center. Eric Voisin's 17 points and Jake Hogeboom's 13 points topped Hope.
The Flying Dutchmen are ranked ninth in this week's D3Hoops.com poll, while Augustana is No. 1. Hope has appeared in the Top 25 all season. The Vikings have topped the rankings the past four weeks.
The Flying Dutchmen enter tonight with a 24-3 record. It is their highest number of wins since a 27-2 mark in the 2010-11 season.
Brock Benson scored a career-high 31 points against Mount St. Joseph on 13-of-15 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from the foul line. It was the best effort by a Hope player since Nate Snuggerud's 40 points in the 2011 overtime NCAA game against Illinois Wesleyan. Benson passed his previous high of 26 points, a number he reached last season against Wooster, Ohio and Alma.
All five starters reached double figures against Mount St. Joseph: Harrison Blackledge (17 points), Ben Gardner (16), Chad Carlson (14) and Dante Hawkins (14). Hope's starters combined for 92 points. Alex Eidson had the Flying Dutchmen's other six points.
Hope earned an at-large berth to the NCAA tourney after winning the MIAA regular-season championship for the 38th time in team history and losing in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament to Trine. The Flying Dutchmen went 13-1 in league play.
The Flying Dutchmen's season-high for points is 98. Besides Mount St. Joseph, Hope hit the mark during a 98-83 win against Grace Bible on Tuesday, Dec. 22 during the Russ DeVette/Holland Sentinel Classic at DeVos Fieldhouse. Hope has scored at least 90 points in eight games this season.
The Flying Dutchmen are 8-2 in road games this season. The road losses came at NAIA powerhouse Cornerstone 73-67 on November 28 and at MIAA Tournament champion Alma 86-75 on January 13. Hope is 12-1 in home games and 4-0 in neutral-court games.
The Flying Dutchmen went 4-0 in neutral-court games this season. Before defeating Mount St. Joseph, they beat Aquinas 95-61 in the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame Tournament in Grand Rapids on Friday, Nov. 27, Messiah, Pennsylvania 80-58 in the RDV Sportsplex Classic in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, Dec. 29 and Beloit, Wisconsin, 86-66 in Orlando on Wednesday, Dec. 30.
Greg Mitchell is in his second season at Hope. He owns a record of 42-12 as head coach. As a player, Mitchell helped Hope post a 74-27 overall record. Mitchell still holds the school record for career 3-point shooting at 46.4 percent (116-of-250).
Senior center Brock Benson became the 38th player Flying Dutchmen player to reach 1,000 career points during the MIAA semifinal loss to Trine. The 2016 All-MIAA Second Team selections has 1,038 points in 108 games for a career average of 9.6. He ranks 33rd all-time and needs 12 points to pass Scott Benson (1979-82).
Senior guard Ben Gardner has totaled 1,280 points in 108 games. The 2016 All-MIAA First Team selection is 17th all-time in Flying Dutchmen history. Gardner needs 42 points to pass Jesse Reimink for 16th place. Gardner reached the 1,000-point mark on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at DeVos Fieldhouse against Grace Bible College.
Senior guard Alex Eidson needs three points to join the 1,000-career point club with the Flying Dutchmen. He has 997 points in 106 games.
