The Hope College men's basketball team sinks free throws like few teams in NCAA Division III this season.
The MIAA-leading Flying Dutchmen salted away another victory on Wednesday, winning 79-71 at Alma College after going 18-of-21 at the line during the second half.
With its fourth win in a row, Hope maintained sole possession of the MIAA lead, The Flying Dutchmen are 7-1 in league play and 14-5 overall.
"Credit to them," head coach Greg Mitchell said of his student-athletes. "It has everything to do with their focus, their focus on the season and playing the right way. It's just a dialed-in team.
"Free throws are incredibly important in deciding games. We've got to continue to get there and knock them down."
Entering the game, Hope ranked fifth in NCAA Division III at 79.9 percent from the free-throw line. On Wednesday, the Flying Dutchmen finished the game at 83.9 percent (26-31).
Six different Flying Dutchmen made at least one foul shot against Alma.
Guards Clayton Dykhouse and Evan Thomas both went 6-of-7 from the foul line during the second half.
Thomas (Okemos, Michigan / Okemos HS) finished a game-high 28 points. It was the junior's 12th consecutive game scoring in double figures.
Dykhouse (Zeeland East, Michigan / Zeeland East) totaled 19 points, including 16 after halftime. The junior went 9-of-11 from the foul line for the game. He also grabbed nine rebounds, one off of his career-high.
Dykhouse, with Hope clinging to a 63-62 lead with five minutes remaining, buried a 3-pointer following Brandon Rake's layup to make it a two-possession game. Alma never got any closer.
The Flying Dutch held a 69-65 lead with 1:21 remaining when senior forward Joshua Lilja (Libertyville, Illinois / Libertyville), pictured, buried a game-clinching 3-pointer. It was Lilja's only shot of the game.
Mitchell credited Lilja's clutch play after spent most of his 25 minutes guarding Alma's leading scorer, Cole Kleiver.
"The shot clock was running down, it was big time," Mitchell said.
Kleiver topped Alma (2-15, 1-7 MIAA) with 22 points. Rake added 16 points.
Senior guard Tyler George (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Central) and sophomore forward Tanner Wiegerink (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) chipped in eight points apiece for the Flying Dutchmen.
Hope's next game is Saturday, Feb. 5, at 3 p.m. against Adrian College at DeVos Fieldhouse.