The Hope College men's basketball team's free-throw shooting fell off the wagon as the Pioneers of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville took the win on Saturday afternoon.
After Hope led for most of the second half, UW-Platteville flipped the score with two minutes and 30 seconds remaining, to ultimately hold on for the win despite the Flying Dutchmen pressure.
Platteville chipped away at Hope's largest lead, 48-40, with ten minutes left in the second half, scoring seven of the game's last eight points to take the lead, and the win.
Hope moved to 4-2.
Despite the outcome, Hope held UW-Platteville to 35.7% from the field in a game that had two lead changes and was tied four different times.
"It came down to free throws," Hope coach Greg Mitchell said. "We played so freaking hard against a really good team and we executed. You work so hard to get those fouls called inside. We are a good free-throw shooting team (nearly 80%), then they bank in a 35-foot 3. The basketball gods are strange sometimes."
Hope shot 40% (6 for 15) from the line, while Platteville sunk five of their nine attempts to finish at 55.6% at the free throw line.
The Flying Dutchmen had four different players in double-digit points, with junior Gabe Quillan (Ada, Michigan / Grand Rapids Catholic HS)leading the way with 11.
Quillan reeled in 11 rebounds, tying for the game-high with UW-Platteville's Joey Fuhremann. Freshman Parker Hovey (Shelby, Michigan / Hart) grabbed six rebounds, all defensive rebounds, to help Hope in out-rebounding the Pioneers on the defensive side, 32-27.
Senior Clayton Dykhouse (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) also had the team-high 11 points.
Senior Tanner Wiegerink (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) and sophomore Marcus Wourman (Lansing, Michigan / East Lansing) each nabbed double-digit, with 12 and 10, respectively.
Wourman threw out a game-high four assists for the Flying Dutchmen.
The Flying Dutchmen return to action on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. as they take on Wittenberg University (Ohio) at DeVos Fieldhouse.