ALBION, Mich. – Albion College gave 24th-ranked Hope College a scare at Kresge Gymnasium Saturday, jumping out to a 13-5 lead and trailing by four at halftime.
Hope's wave of 3-point field goals in the second half – it connected on 7-of-9 shots from long distance – was enough to send Albion to a 78-53 loss.
Albion guards Taylor Nugent, Brett de Bear, and Tanner Johnson made layups as the Britons led by eight less than eight minutes into the game.
Hope responded to a timeout by ripping off a 10-0 run. Maddie Burnett sank a pair of free throw and a 3-point field goal, and Meredith Kussmaul added a layup and free throw.
Albion answered Hope's run as Johnson knocked down three free throws and de Bear added a "three". The Britons led 21-17 with 6:50 left in the first half.
Hope's advantage in depth was evident late in the first half as six players scored as the Flying Dutch reeled off a 14-6 run to take a 31-27 halftime lead.
Burnett and Allie Cerone knocked down "threes" and Kussmaul added a layup as Hope scored the first eight points of the second half to build a double-digit lead.
Albion tried to keep the margin close as de Bear scored two field goals and Patty Rewa converted a layup to trim Hope's lead to 39-33. Albion trailed 41-35 on Johnson's layup with 16 minutes left.
Hope's 3-pont shooting proved to be too much late in the second half as Kussmaul's "three" boosted the Flying Dutch lead to 50-38 with 11 ½ left and they would maintain a double-digit lead the rest of the way. Kussmaul led all players with 24 points as she connected on 10-of-18 shots from the field. She received support from Liz Ellis and Burnett who produced 11 and 10 points, respectively.
De Bear scored 17 to match her career high. She knocked down 6-of-9 shots from the field. Johnson scored in double figures for the first time this season with 11.
Albion will take some time off from competition to concentrate on fall semester final examinations. The Britons' next game is a Dec. 10 home date against Trine University.