Basketball headed to appear in MIAA Chamionship

The men’s and women’s basketball teams played in the MIAA tournament last week, finishing with some close, tense moments. The men’s team played Calvin last Wednesday in the quarterfinal, suffering a loss with a close score of 68-66 that ended their season. The men ended the season with a 15-11 record, with three of those losses to Calvin, each of them incredibly close, totaling only eight-point difference among the games. “We left everything out there,” head coach Greg Mitchell commented. “It was one of those games we played well enough to win. We didn’t get the result I felt we earned. Credit to Calvin for making plays down the stretch.” The women’s team lasted longer in the MIAA tournament, losing in the title game in double overtime to Trine University.

Trine beat them out 70- 65, repeating last year’s need for overtime in the MIAA tournament title game. This left Hope with a postseason record of 23-4. This also leaves the Flying Dutch as the runner-up in the MIAA ranks. This was the first double overtime in the MIAA title game in conference history. “We have four losses on the year,” head coach Brian Morehouse commented. “What does that mean? We lost to the No. 2 team in the nation (Thomas More University), and Trine is No. 5. Those are our losses. [That’s] a pretty good resume.” Trine will go on to the NCAA Division III Tournament with the MIAA title. Despite this loss, Hope’s women’s team is heading to the tournament in Waverly, Iowa.

The game will take place on March 1. The team is facing off against Wheaton College in the first round. This will be the fourteenth time that Hope has faced Wheaton this season. The winner of the match faces either Wartburg or Bethany Lutheran College. The Flying Dutch is aiming for its third national championship, with the previous wins occurring in 2006 and 1990.