Alma, MI – Alma College Women's Basketball welcomed the Flying Dutch of Hope College to close out the regular season on Saturday. In the Be Like Tye game, Alma knocked off the #4 team in nation, snapping a 50-game losing streak to the Dutch. Alma had not beaten Hope in 23 years to the day.
Alma led for 97% of the game, scoring the first points of the game on a
Breckyn Werner layup just 12 seconds in. Hope answered with a made three, and led for the next 25 seconds. Those 25 seconds were the only seconds that the #4 team in the country spent in front of Alma.
Reagan Thorr knocked down a pair of free throws to get Alma back in front, and kick started a 14-9 run that saw Alma leading 16-12 after the opening frame.
The second quarter opened with a layup from Hope, and both teams settled in defensively. Alma used the first 5 minutes to slowly open up a gap, with a Molly Duerloo three-pointer, and the Scots defense holding Hope to 0-5 from the floor as catalysts. A Flying Dutch free throw broke up a 5 minute scoring drought, and Alma piled on another 8-2 run to close the half up 32-17. The 17-points is the lowest first half total for the Flying Dutch all season.
Hope College came into the game already crowned as MIAA champs, and for good reason. They weren't going away. What started with a made jumper snowballed into a 15-3 Hope run, and before Alma knew it, they were staring a 1 possession game in the face at 35-32. It was just enough for Alma to close the period with a 7-2 run of their own to lead 42-34 after three.
The first points of the fourth belonged to the Scots on a
Madelyn Weber layup to put Alma up 10. The visitors ripped off 8 in a row, reducing the Scot lead to 2. Enter the trio of
Taylor Sas, Thorr, and
Brooke LeRoux. A huge And-1 from Sas allowed Alma to embark on a 15-3 run of their own. Hope made a three, Thorr clapped back with a triple of her own. The junior added another three, and LeRoux piled on a third make from downtown to put Alma up 11 with 2:56 to go. Sas was fouled on a three point attempt, and made all her free throws to push the lead to 14. It was enough to carry the Scots to the upset win.
The loss is only Hope's second all season, and their first and only L in MIAA play.
Reagan Thorr (14 Points, 2 Rebounds)
Taylor Sas (13 Points, 5 Rebounds, 2 Assists) and
Brooke LeRoux (10 Points, 8 Rebounds, 3 Assists) led the way for Alma.
The Scots wrap up the regular season at 13-12, with a 9-7 record in MIAA play. Alma looks forward to next Wednesday, when they'll travel to Albion for the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
