ALBION, Mich. – Seniors Harrison Blackledge, Chad Carlson, Mitchell O'Brien and Cody Stuive combined to score 25 of Hope's final 27 points as the Flying Dutchmen walked out of Kresge Gymnasium with a 85-79 victory over Albion on the opening night of Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play.

Albion extended a 36-35 halftime lead to as many as nine in the second half. Darius Branch knocked down a 3-point basket to boost the Briton lead to 53-44 and Adam Davis' "three" made the score 56-47 with 13 ½ minutes to play.

Dante Hawkins, a junior, sparked Hope's rally by scoring seven of his 19 points in 2 ½ minutes to cut the margin to two.

Blackledge hit two from the line to forge a tie at 63 and the Flying Dutchmen went in front for good on his layup on its next trip down the floor.

Stuive and Blackledge combined for three points from the line and Carlson tacked on a layup as Hope pushed its lead to six and Albion did not get closer than three down the stretch.

"Hope had veteran guys on the floor, while we have young guys who are just learning," Albion Head Coach Jody May said. "They made senior plays, and they had the best player on the floor in Harrison.

"We had some defensive breakdowns in the last five minutes of the game and they capitalized on those," he added.

Albion had four players score in double figures, led by first-year guard Darius Branch with 18. Corey Wheeler, a junior guard, achieved his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Aquavius Burks added 14 points and Jaylin Fordham finished with 12.

Blackledge led all players with 27 points. Stuive chipped in with 18.

While it will take a 3-9 record into a Saturday game at Calvin, May hopes the Britons can build off its effort.

"I think this is the type of team that gets better with each game we play because we are so young," May said. "Our goal is to play more consistent. I told our guys if we play like this for 13 more games it's going to be a lot of fun and good things will happen."