The Flying Dutch (25-1) are playing in the NCAA Division III tournament for the fourth year in-a-row and for the 11th time in school history.  The Flying Dutch were national champions in 1990 and 2006.  A year ago Hope advanced to the Elite Eight before bowing to eventual national champion Howard Payne, Tex.  Hope has an all-time record of 17-8 (.680) in NCAA games.

The Flying Dutch are hosting an NCAA tournament game for the first time since 2003 and the first-ever at DeVos Fieldhouse, ending a string of 14 consecutive games on the road.  Hope won the 2006 national championship without ever playing at home.

Hope brings a 47-game home floor winning streak into the regional.  Since moving into DeVos Fieldhouse in 2005, the Flying Dutch have posted a 58-1 home floor record.

Hope's only defeat of the season was on January 3rd at Saint Mary's, 91-84.  The Flying Dutch defeated Saint Mary's 77-47 last Saturday in the championship game of the conference tournament.

How the Teams Got to Holland

° Hope (25-1) won the regular season and tournament title of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association to gain an automatic berth. (11th NCAA appearance)

° Baldwin-Wallace (21-7) won the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament title to gain an automatic berth after finishing second in the regular season OAC standings. (11th NCAA appearance;  10-10 in NCAA games, never to Final Four)

° Washington & Jefferson (24-4) finished second in the President's Athletic Conference regular season standings and lost in the conference tournament, but still received an at-large berth. (6th NCAA appearance; still looking for 1st win)

° Pitt-Greensburg (24-2) won the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference regular season championship and conference tournament. (3rd NCAA appearance; 1st time since 2004)

The Flying Dutch over the past four seasons have a 104-8 cumulative record.  The only seniors on this year's team are starters Courtney Knox (6-2 post from Mattawan, Mich.) and Kaitlyn Kopke (5-7 guard from Haslett, Mich.).

Hope has won 20-or-more games for 11 straight years. In 13 seasons under coachBrian Morehouse the Flying Dutch are 313-57 (.846).

Hope versus Regional Field

° The Flying Dutch won 71-60 at Washington & Jefferson in a second round game of the 2003 NCAA tournament.

° Hope and Baldwin-Wallace have met five times since the series started in 1988.  The teams have met twice in the NCAA tournament.  Baldwin-Wallace defeated Hope 75-71 in a first round game of the 1998 tournament at BW.  A year ago Hope defeated BW 68-48 in a second round game, also at BW.

° Hope has no basketball history with Pitt-Greensburg.

Both Hope basketball teams are playing in the NCAA Division III
championships for the fourth consecutive year and for the sixth time this decade.  The Flying Dutch will be hosting the Final Four here at DeVos Fieldhouse in two weeks (March 20-21)

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