The season continues for both Hope basketball teams.  Each has been selected to play in NCAA men's and women's Division III basketball championship, the women as an automatic qualifier and the men as an at-large entry.

The season continues for both Hope basketball teams.  Each has been selected to play in NCAA men's and women's Division III basketball championship, the women as an automatic qualifier and the men as an at-large entry.

The Flying Dutchmen will be heading to Aurora, Ill. for their first game on Friday, March 2. Aurora University will host the four-team field that will include both MIAA representatives, Hope and Calvin. Games on Friday will pit Calvin (18-9) against host Aurora (25-2) and Hope (23-4) against the University of Chicago (20-5). Friday's winners will meet Saturday. Game times and ticket availability are to be announced.  Hope and the University of Chicago are both at-large qualifiers in the tournament. Hope owns a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series with the Maroons.  The teams last met in 2002 with Hope winning 84-66.

The Flying Dutch will be traveling to Greencastle, Ind. for their first game on Friday, March 2. DePauw University will host the four-team field. Games on Friday will pit Hope ((24-3) against Denison, Ohio (24-4) at 5 p.m. ET and host DePauw (25-3) against Transylvania, Ky. (19-8) at 7 p.m. ET. Friday's winners will meet Saturday at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $6 for adults; $3 for senior citizens, students and
children and children under two years of age will be admitted free.
They'll be on sale at the gate each night beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday
and 6 p.m. Saturday.

Calvin, the MIAA's other representative, will travel to Wilmington, Ohio for first round action. A year ago Hope opened its march to a national championship with a first round victory over Denison, 72-51.  Each gained an automatic berth in the tournament, Hope from the MIAA and Denison from the North Coast Athletic Association.

Sectional tournaments will be March 9-10 and the national championships for
women in Springfield, Mass. and for men in Salem, Va. on March 16-17.

This marks the seventh time that both Hope teams have advanced to the NCAA tournament in the same season. The others were 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006.

The Flying Dutch are in the 63-team women's field after gaining the MIAA's
automatic berth by defeating rival Calvin in Saturday's conference tournament
championship game, 71-68. Calvin is in the women's tournament as an at-large
entry.

The Flying Dutchmen have gained the 59-team men's field as an at-large entry.
Calvin gained the MIAA's automatic berth by defeating Hope in Saturday's
conference tournament championship game, 78-76.

The Flying Dutch (24-3) are the defending NCAA Division III champions. Coach
Brian Morehouse's Dutch will be making their eighth appearance in the
playoffs. A year ago Hope defeated Southern Maine in the national
championship game, 69-56. Like Hope, Southern Maine is back in the
tournament. Only twice in the 25-year history of the tournament has the
defending champion successfully repeated -- Capital, Ohio, 1994-1995, and
Washington-St. Louis, 1998-1999-2000-2001. Hope was also the NCAA champion in
1990.  Hope's all-time record in the women's tournament is 15-6.  The Flying Dutch will be playing their 12th consecutive NCAA tournament game on the road dating back to 2002.  The Flying Dutch are 9-2 in those games.

The Flying Dutchmen (23-4) are in the Division III playoffs for the 18th time
and in the NCAA post-season a 21st time having competed twice in
the former College Division. A year ago coach Glenn Van Wieren's Dutchmen
advanced to the tournament's Sweet Sixteen. Hope's best tournament finish was
national runner-up in 1996 and 1998.  Hope's all-time record in the men's tournament is 19-19.

The MIAA has now sent two teams to the NCAA men's championships nine times.
This is the third straight year to accomplish that fete. The two-team
qualifying years were: 1987, Calvin/Hope; 1989, Calvin/Hope; 1992,
Calvin/Hope; 1995, Hope/Calvin; 1996, Hope/Kalamazoo; 1998, Albion/Hope; 2005, Albion/Calvin; 2006,
Calvin/Hope; 2007, Calvin/Hope.

The MIAA has now sent two teams to the NCAA women's championship eight times.
In 1999 three MIAA teams qualified. This the third straight year to
accomplish that fete. The two-team qualifying years were: 1991, Adrian/Calvin;
1992, Adrian/Alma; 1996, Calvin/Alma; 1997, Alma/Calvin; 1998, Calvin/Hope;
1999, Calvin/Hope/Defiance; 2005, Albion/Calvin; 2006, Calvin/Hope; 2007,
Calvin/Hope.