Alma, Mich. - The Alma College men's basketball team dropped a 76-71 decision to Hope College on Saturday (Feb. 4) at Art Smith Arena, snapping a two-game home winning streak against the Flying Dutchmen. The Scots fall to 10-11 overall and 6-4 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, while Hope (17-4, 10-0 MIAA) remain undefeated in league play.

Alma is currently tied for third with Trine University with four games to play in the conference, with each team owning a 6-4 record. Hope leads the pack by 3.5 games, while Calvin is currently in second place with 6-3 mark and has a game at Olivet on Saturday evening.

Senior Trevor Gernaat (McBain, Mich./Northern Michigan Christian/Mid-Michigan CC) led the Scots with 22 points, including a game-high five three-pointers, while freshman Ryan Stevens (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) netted 13 points before fouling out. Senior Tyler Edwards (Flint, Mich./Swartz Creek) collected 10 rebounds to lead Alma, which limited the Dutchmen to 33.8 percent shooting from the floor.

Hope was paced by Harrison Blackledge, who recorded a double-double with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds while going 9-for-11 from the free throw line.

Hope led by as many as 13 points in the first half before Alma pulled within five on an 8-0 run to make the score 25-20 with 5:33 to play after a three by freshman Preston Laketa (Concord, Mich./Hanover-Horton). Alma could not get any closer, entering the break down by six at 37-31.

In the second half, an 8-0 run put the Dutch back up by double digits just over five minutes into the stanza, and the lead ballooned to 15 points before the Scots put together an 11-0 run, pulling within four points at 66-62 with under five minutes left. Blackledge put Hope back up by eight points at 70-62 with a pair of free throws with 1:24 left, then a three by Gernaat pulled Alma within five points at 70-65 with just over a minute to play.

After a jumper by Blackledge, Edwards responded to get the Scots back within five points with less than 30 seconds to play, trailing 72-67.

Following a missed free throw by Hope's Chad Carlson, the Scots regained possession that resulted in a turnover by Gernaat after a drive into the lane. Alma's bench disagreed with the call, and Head Coach Sam Hargraves received a double technical foul and was ejected with 13 seconds to play. Blackledge made three of his four free throw attempts to give Hope a 75-67 lead that the Scots could not overcome.

Alma will be on the road for its next two games, starting with a contest on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at Calvin College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Van Noord Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.