The Hope College women's basketball team pushed through the challenge against powerhouse Millikin University to finish perfect at the Post Exam Jam. 

The Flying Dutch won the tournament's title-game showdown featuring nationally-ranked teams, 77-69, on Wednesday at DeVos Fieldhouse. 

"These games are great. We're playing a real good schedule, we've knocked off a lot of very good teams this year," said head coach Brian Morehouse. "I'm just proud of the growth of this team."

Entering the game, Hope ranked 12th in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll and 16th in the d3hoops.com poll. Millikin was 13th in both polls.

The Flying Dutch (10-1 overall) held the three-time All-America guard Elyce Knudsen to just 19 points, nine points under her season average of 28. Knudsen played the full 40 minutes for Millikin (9-2).

Knudsen is a three-time All-Amerian and the 2023 recipient of the Jostens Trophy awarded to the top student-athlete in Division III women's basketball. Hope's Kenedy Schoonveld won the same award in 2022.

Hope used a strong second quarter to get ahead of the Big Blue. The Flying Dutch outscored Millikin 24-13 after the two teams were deadlocked at 19-19 following the opening 10 minutes.

After Millikin tied the score at 30-30 with 4:38 remaining in the second quarter, Hope closed the half on a 13-2 run.

Sophomore guard Karsen Karlblom (Crystal Lake, Ill. / Prairie Ridge HS) and sophomore forward Sydney Vis (Byron Center, Michigan / South Christian) hit back-to-back shots from behind the arc to put Hope ahead for good at 36-30.

Millikin never got back closer than four points.

Hope held Millikin to just 23.5% 3-pointers shooting, while the home team finished at 45.5% from behind the arc. 

Vis led the Flying Dutch with 18 points, going 3-for-4 from 3-pointer range. 

Senior center Raven Jemison (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Kentwood) nabbed a career-high 12 points on the night and shared a team-high six rebounds with junior Courtney Lee (Fishers, Indiana / Heritage Christian).

Karlblom chipped in 13 points, going 3-for-5 from behind the arc. 

Freshman guard Terin Maynard (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Jenison) snagged 11 points off the bench, fueling the 22 points from Hope's bench. 

Junior guard Jada Garner (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow) helped defend Knudsen and was named Tournament MVP. Garner, who finished with eight points, also scored a career-high 18 points during Tuesday's opening-round win against Augustana College (Ill.) 

Vis joined Garner on the all-tourament team along with Knudsen and Sophie Darden of Millikin, Macy Beinborn of Augustana, and Taylor Sas of Alma.

Augustana topped Alma in Wednesday's first game, 60-52.

Hope next heads to the Big Apple to take part in the CUNYAC Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament.

The Flying Dutch first face off first with Salem State University in Bronx, N.Y. on Thursday, Dec. 28 at noon, followed by a matchup with either Lehman College or Pittsburgh at Bradford on Friday, Dec. 29, at noon or 2 p.m.77-69