Hope (11-1) has a two-game lead with two games to play over rival Calvin (9-3). Hope also clinched the home floor advantage throughout the conference tournament. The Flying Dutchmen are 19-3 overall.
The championship is also a league record 16th under coach Glenn Van Wieren who in 30 years at the helm of the Flying Dutchmen has a 288-81 mark in conference games.
After jumping out ahead 18-6 in the first eight minutes of the game, the Flying Dutchmen were pretty much matched by the visiting Bulldogs. Hope led 47-36 at halftime.
Marcus Vanderheide led Hope with 20 points behind 8-for-11 shooting while Stephen Cramer and Ryan Klein each scored 10.