The nationally ranked Hope College women's basketball team was off and running from the opening tip and rolled to a 104-64 win against Kalamazoo Saturday at the DeVos Fieldhouse.
The Flying Dutch set a season-high for team points as they improved to 15-0 overall and 7-0 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play.
The victory sets up a first-place showdown against Calvin (12-3) on Wednesday at DeVos Fieldhouse. Hope is ranked fourth in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll and fifth in the D3Hoops.com rankings, while Calvin is 14th in the WBCA poll and 18th by D3Hoops.com.
"A great team victory," Hope coach Brian Morehouse said. "We came out with a lot of energy, ran extremely hard. We moved the ball really, really well."
Senior forward Maura McAfee of Midland, Michigan (Midland HS) and freshman forward Francesca Buchanan of Grant, Michigan (Sparta HS) shared game-high scoring honors with 20 points.
Buchanan surpassed her previous career-high 19 points against Mount Ida, Massachusetts on December 29 in Orlando, Florida.
Junior forward Allison Hedrick of Naperville, Illinois (Neuqua Valley HS) also reached a career-high with 11 points. Her previous best of eight came against Monmouth, Illinois on November 20.
Three players contributed nine points apiece against Kalamazoo (6-10, 3-5 MIAA): junior guard Angelique Gaddy of Caledonia, Michiga (Grand Rapids South Christian HS), junior guard Paris Madison of Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grand Rapids Christian HS) and sophomore guard Allie Gorcyca of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (Farmington Hills Mercy HS).
Madison matched her career-high in points.
The Flying Dutch never trailed. The score was tied twice early in the first quarter before Hope charged ahead 28-12.
At halftime, the Flying Dutch led 57-28 and equaled the DeVos Fieldhouse team record for points in a half. The 2013-14 team had 57 first-half points in a 107-61 win against Alma.