HOLLAND, Mich. – Hope College outscored Albion College by eight points in the fourth quarter and that was the difference as the seventh-ranked Flying Dutch edged the Britons, 78-71, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association women's basketball game at DeVos Fieldhouse.
With her team trailing 66-65 with three minutes remaining, Angelique Gaddy put Hope on her back. She scored seven points to put the Flying Dutch in front 72-68. Victoria Swift tacked on a 3-point basket as Hope extended the margin to 75-68 with 45 seconds to play.
Neither team led by more than five points prior to Hope's decisive run down the stretch. The Britons held five-point leads on two occasions in the fourth quarter, the last time came when Oreyana Curry knocked down a 3-point basket to push the margin to 62-57 with 6 ½ minutes to play.
Curry led all players with 23 points. She received support from Emily Bernas and Olivia Savage who contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, and Erin Nelson, who pulled down 10 rebounds.
Four Hope starters scored in double figures, led by Gaddy with 15.
Albion will take a 6-3 record to Westerville, Ohio, as it plays Dec. 29-30 games in the Smokey Ballenger Classic.