Center Brock Benson and the ninth-ranked Hope College men's basketball team powered their way to a first-round win in the 2016 NCAA Division III Championship.
The Flying Dutchmen defeated Mount St. Joseph, Ohio 98-87 behind a career-high 31 points from Benson on Friday in Rock Island, Illinois.
Hope (24-3) will play top-ranked Augustana, Illinois in Saturday's second-round game at Augustana. Tipoff is 7 p.m. Central.
Benson posted the most points by a Hope player this season by going 13-of-15 from the field and 5-of-7 from the foul line. The senior from Willowbrook, Illinois (Hinsdale South HS) also grabbed nine rebounds and matched his season-high with five assists.
"My teammates did a really good job of getting me the ball in a great position to score," Benson told the Holland Sentinel. "But when I was double-teamed I was able to kick it out to them and they hit some big shots."
Hope coach Greg Mitchell told The Sentinel the Flying Dutchmen focused on getting the ball into the paint and to Benson.
All five Hope starters scored in double figures against Mount St. Joseph (18-10).
Junior forward Harrison Blackledge of Canton, Ohio (Hoover HS) totaled 17 points.
Senior guard Ben Gardner of Carmel, Indiana (Carmel HS) netted 16 points.
Junior guard Chad Carlson of Rockford, Michigan (Rockford HS) and sophomore guard DanteHawkins of Holland, Michigan (Holland HS) had 14 points apiece.
The Flying Dutchmen raced to a 55-33 halftime lead against Mount St. Joseph (18-10) behind 15 points from Benson and 14 from Gardner.
Hope shot 72.4 percent from the field in the first half (21-of-29). The Flying Dutchmen sank six of 10 3-pointers and received three from Carlson, two from Gardner and 1 one from Alex Eidson.
Eidson chipped in six points off the bend and now needs three points to reach 1,000 points for his career.
Hope is now 29-25 all-time in NCAA Championship play. This is the Flying Dutchmen's 25thappearance in a NCAA postseason tournament.
Augustana defeated Westminster, Missouri 105-52 in Friday's second first-round game.
Tickets go on sale at 5 p.m. Central Saturday at Augustana. They are $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and $5 for students.