HOLLAND, Mich. - The start of Wednesday night's game at Hope College could not have been any better as Adrian raced out to a 10-2 lead. However, it is not how you start but how you finish and that did not favor the visitors as the Bulldogs fell 70-63 at DeVos Fieldhouse before 2,415 spectators.
Adrian (8-7, 3-2) quieted the partisan crowd with their opening two minutes of energy building an eight-point lead. It was the biggest lead they would have in the game as Hope withstood the early barrage and took their first lead at the 11:26 mark (15-14). Hope increased their lead to 20-14 but Adrian came back with a 13-2 run to regain a 27-22 lead with 4:30 left in the half. The Bulldogs held their lead and went into the locker room with a 35-31 edge. Hope shot 45.5 percent in the first half while Adrian was a blistering 60 percent from the field including a 5-of-7 effort from behind the arc. Sophomore Wesley Reed scored 12 points in the first half and was 4-of-4 from behind the arc. He finished the game with a career-high 20 points in 35 minutes.
Tough defense kept both teams off the scoreboard for the first 1:47 of the second half before Nate Snuggerud hit a free throw. Hope managed to tie the game for the second time at 39-39 at the 15:40 mark on a triple by Will Bowser. Bowser led Hope with 19 points and was 8-of-11 from the floor.
The Flying Dutchmen continued to execute against a tough Adrian defense and built their lead to 55-41 after a 14-0 run between the 13:59 and 7:57 marks, which really put a damper on any road win hopes for the Bulldogs. Ray Reed nailed a pair of free throws at the 7:57 mark to end the run, but Adrian would simply start to come back and then Hope would hit a big shot. Adrian cut the lead to seven at 62-55 with 5:12 remaining after three Wesley Reed free throws and a triple by Mitch Gabriele. Gabriele finished with nine points (3-of-5 3FG's) in 17 minutes. Hope responded with a Snuggerud jumper and a pair of Ty Tanis free throws to push the lead back to double digits at 66-55 with 3:02 left.
Adrian did not score again until 56 seconds left after a Dennis Mason split at the foul line. Sean Gallant followed with a layup and after a Bowser turnover, Delano Collins hit a jumper to make it 66-60 with 37 ticks left. Colton Overway hit two free throws for Hope followed by another two makes by Mason. Tanis missed both free throws on Hope's next possession and Collins made the first free throw with 16 seconds left, but missed the second with Tanis grabbing the rebound. Tanis was fouled with 14 seconds to go and this time made both freebies to seal the win.
Adrian shot just 31.8 percent in the second half compared to Hope's 59.1 percentage from the floor. Adrian finished with 17 turnovers well over their 13.29 average for the season. Hope lost it 14 times and Adrian had 20 points off those turnovers. Mason contributed nine points and grabbed five rebounds. Ray Reed also had eight points and three boards off the bench in 19 minutes.
The Bulldogs are now in a three-way tie (Kalamazoo and Calvin) for third place in the MIAA at 3-2. Hope and Albion sit atop the conference at 4-1. Adrian has now dropped nine straight games in Holland against the Flying Dutchmen. Their last win came on Jan. 8, 2005.
