Improving to 6-1 in the MIAA standings, the Flying Dutchmen are two games ahead of the field in the loss column. Adrian, Albion and Calvin are tied for second place at 5-3.
Coach Glenn Van Wieren's nationally ranked Dutchmen needed to be at the top of their game after having lost to the Bulldogs by six points a month ago. The team responded by shooting 65% from the floor, including 70% in the second half. Hope also took good care of the basketball comitting just 10 turnovers, including only three in the second half.
Adrian led by as many as 13 points in the first half before the Dutchmen were able to cut the deficit to 43-39 at intermission.
Hope gained its first lead of the game four minutes into the second half on Kyle Kleersnyder's layup, 49-47. The Dutchmen wouldn't trail again, leading by as many as 10 points. But Adrian kept hanging around and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds only to have a three-point attempt fall short.
Each team had five players score in double figures. Sophomore Andy Phillips led Hope with 22 points while juniors Travis Spaman and Daane Griffith each tallied 13. Kleersnyder followed with 12 while freshman Stephen Cramer had 10.
With their sixth consecutive win, the Flying Dutchmen improved to 17-3 on the season.