by Alan Babbitt

A festive Hope College women's basketball team capped a season-opening, nine-game homestand in dominating fashion.

Fueled by a season-high 31 assists, the top-ranked Flying Dutch downed Kalamazoo College, 112-31, on Saturday at DeVos Fieldhouse.

The fifth-highest scoring game in team history propelled Hope's winning streak to 54 games, the longest active one in all of NCAA basketball — women's or men's.

"The best stat of the day is 31 assists on 43 baskets; that's insane," head coach Brian Morehouse said. "It was really fun to watch unselfish basketball. This is one of the most unselfish teams I've ever coached."

Hope's Highest-Scoring Games

The Flying Dutch's 13 3-pointers tied a DeVos Fieldhouse record.

Senior Sydney Muller (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian HS) and junior Meg Morehouse (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) registered six assists apiece. Muller matched her career-high; Morehouse set hers.

Three Hope players scored in double figures with career-high efforts: senior Hannah Smith (Midland, Michigan / Midland), pictured top right, with 16 points, junior Savannah Feenstra (Osceola, Indiana / Northwood), pictured left, with 15 points, and freshman Olivia Bellows (Lake City, Michigan / Lake City), pictured bottom right, with 11 points.

Olivia Voskuil scored eight points. The senior from Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS) also blocked one shot and tied Carrie Snikkers '11 for the school record with 215 career blocks. 

No member of the Flying Dutch played more than 13 minutes.

Hope never trailed and raced to a 33-6 lead after the first quarter.

The Flying Dutch are 9-0 this season and 2-0 in MIAA play.

Hope's next game is Saturday, Dec. 18, at Trine University (No. 7 D3hoops/No. 13 WBCA).