Courtney Lee fought back emotions throughout the night as she stepped on the court to play the game of basketball, as "Pops" proudly displayed on the back of her Purple Community Hope College basketball jersey.
Olivia Bellows stood tall with her jersey that honored strength and conditioning coach Dan Margritz's former basketball coach.
Another victorious night for the MIAA's top team and nationally-ranked Flying Dutch, but trumping it all was honoring family and friends impacted by cancer and other diseases, and supporting Van Andel Institute's research and science-education efforts.
"Tonight it was about the names on the back of the jersey, and I had the privilege of wearing our strength coach's former basketball coach," Bellows said after a 109-42 victory on Wednesday. "It's pretty awesome just to be able to wear their name on the back of my jersey and at the end of the day know that it's more than the game itself, it's bigger than that, it's about the people, it's about the hearts."
Lee (Fishers, Indiana / Heritage Christian) made sure to be present during tonight's game as she honored her late grandfather.
"Today I was more set on having fun and doing it for my grandfather, in remembrance of him. I wasn't trying to dwell on the grief."
Each Flying Dutch player honored a loved one or friend on the back of their Purple Community jerseys.
The Purple Community Game, along with the men's basketball game following the women's matchup, raised money and awareness for Van Andel Institute's biomedical research and science education and helped underwrite an internship for a Hope student at Van Andel Institute.
"It is so great what the Van Andel Institute does," head coach Brian Morehouse said. "This touches every family. They want to honor the person on their jersey, but not be overly emotional that you can still play. It is a tough emotional balance."
The game marked Hope's 40th 100-point game all-time and the first of the season.
Against Kalamazoo, Hope jumped to a 27-13 first-quarter lead and continued rolling for the remainder of the game.
The Flying Dutch improved to 14-1 and a league-leading 6-0 in MIAA play.
Bellows (Lake City, Michigan / Lake City HS) led a balanced attack from the offense with 14 points against Kalamazoo (3-12, 0-6 MIAA).
Sophomore Karsen Karlblom (Crystal Lake, Illinois / Prairie Ridge) chipped in 13 points. Karlblom shared a team-high three steals with freshman Chloe Brunsberg (Chaska, Minnesota / Southwest Christian) and junior Hannah Kurncz (DeWitt, Michigan / DeWitt).
Brunsberg gathered a game-high and career-high nine rebounds.
Junior Brooklyn Robak Clarkston, Michigan / Our Lady Of The Lakes) scored a career-high 12 points to pace the bench, who put up 64 points during the win.
"The bench had great juice," said Morehouse. "They are hungry and starting to feel it."
Junior Jada Garner (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow) added 10 points.
The win was the 699th win of Morehouse's 28-season coaching career with the Flying Dutch.
Hope's first chance to make Morehouse the fastest NCAA basketball coach, any division or any gender, to 700 wins is Saturday, Jan. 13, at 3 p.m. against Alma College at DeVos Fieldhouse.