HOLLAND, Mich. — On a day when Hope College unveiled its women's basketball national championship banner from last year, the Flying Dutch had no problem in defeating Alma College 89-37 at DeVos Field house on Saturday afternoon.
The 2022 NCAA Division III national championship banner was unveiled after the game, as members of that team were joined on the DeVette-Van Wieren Court by members of the 1990 and 2006 Flying Dutch national champion teams.
"That was unbelievable. To have three champion teams in the locker room together and talking about the legacy of what we try to live into every day," head coach Brian Morehouse said. "In our locker room, every number is on the locker so they are looking at the numbers and standing next to the people who wore those numbers on title teams. It is a legacy, living into the expectations of greatness, integrity, work ethic, character, spirit. It was a unique group of people in one locker room. I dreamed about doing this for years and years. It was amazing."
Morehouse's daughter, senior guard Meg Morehouse of Zeeland, Michigan (Zeeland East), echoed her father's sentiments.
"We talk a lot about tradition in our program and letting the legacy live on. We really lived into that. To see those teams out there is really inspiring," Meg Morehouse said.
The Flying Dutch dominated from the outset against the Scots, jumping out to a 19-9 lead after one quarter. Hope led 43-18 at the half and 66-31 after three quarters.
Hope shot 55.4 percent from the field (36 of 65) while limiting Alma to 22.6 percent (12 of 53). The Flying Dutch out rebounded the Scots 45-28 and scored 31 points off 19 Alma turnovers.
"Our starters played with great energy and competitive grit," Brian Morehouse said. "Just fighting and that is beautiful basketball."
Senior center Savannah Feenstra of Osceola, Indiana (NorthWood) led Hope with 16 points, while senior guard Ella McKinney of Haslett, Michigan (Haslett) added 15. Freshman guard Karsen Karlblom of Crystal Lake, Illinois (Prairie Ridge) came off the bench to chip in 10 points. Senior forward Claire Baguley of Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Central) contributed eight points, six rebounds and four steals, while fifth-year player Kate Majerus of Sycamore, Illinois (Sycamore) also pulled down six rebounds and added three steals.
Olivia Warren led Alma with 15 points. Hope held Scots' junior guard Taylor Sas, who entered the game second in the MIAA in scoring at 18 points per game, to just two points, those coming on free throws with seven minutes remaining.
Hope, ranked No. 9 in the latest d3hoops.com poll, is now 7-2 in the MIAA and 16-2 overall. The Flying Dutch travel to Angola, Indiana Wednesday night for a critical MIAA contest against conference leader Trine University. Tipoff from the MTI Center is 7 p.m. EST.
