OLIVET, Mich. -- For the 16th time in program history — and the first time since 2024 — Hope College is the champion of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Men’s Basketball Tournament Presented by Collegiate Credit Union. The second-seeded Flying Dutchmen put together a determined postseason run, capped by a hard-fought 72-65 victory over Trine University in the championship game to secure the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Hope entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed after posting an 11-3 conference record and opened postseason play with a 73-63 victory over rival Calvin University in the semifinals. The Flying Dutchmen controlled the tempo and shot .411 (23-of-56) from the field compared to Calvin’s .340 (18-of-53), while also dominating the glass with a 41-32 rebounding advantage. Hope added edges in blocks (4-3) and steals (7-3) to seal the rivalry win.
Sophomore forward Orion Yant led all scorers with 18 points and also paced the Flying Dutchmen with seven rebounds. Freshman guard Brendan Cargill recorded a game-best three steals to anchor the defensive effort. Junior forward Parker Hovey and freshman guard Avery Sanchez each dished out a team-best two assists, while Hovey added a team-high two blocked shots as Hope advanced to the title game.
In the championship matchup against Trine, Hope delivered one of its most efficient offensive performances of the season. The Flying Dutchmen shot .547 (29-of-53) from the field, including .455 (5-of-11) from three-point range, and .818 (9-of-11) from the free-throw line. Trine shot .471 overall, .176 from beyond the arc, and .700 at the stripe. Hope also held advantages in rebounds (29-25) and assists (9-6) to maintain control down the stretch.
Cargill led the balanced scoring attack with a team-best 16 points. Yant again controlled the boards with a team-high eight rebounds, while senior guard Marcus Wourman directed the offense with a game-best four assists. Sophomore forward Charles Howell sparked the defense with a game-high three steals as the Flying Dutchmen closed out the championship victory.
With the win, Hope improved to 18-9 overall and secured the MIAA’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Flying Dutchmen will learn their postseason destination during the NCAA selection show on Monday, March 2, at 1:00 p.m. on NCAA.com. First- and second-round games are scheduled for March 6-7, while the sectionals and national semifinals will be held March 19-21 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The national championship game will take place April 5 in Indianapolis.