STEVENS POINT, Wis. - The No. 16 Hope men’s basketball team never trailed in its 68-56 road win over the beat reigning NCAA Division III National Champion, No. 9 Wisconsin-Stevens Point, on Saturday.

Hope (2-0) shot 47 percent from the field and outrebounded Stevens Point (2-1) by a 40-25 margin. The Flying Dutchmen also scored 17 points off turnovers to the Pointers’ three.

Senior guard Ben Gardner led a balanced Flying Dutchmen attack topping the squad with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Senior center Brock Benson chipped in 13 points to go with five rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks. 

Senior guard Alex Eidson chipped in 10 points off the bench for Hope, including a 3-pointer with eight seconds remaining in the first half that put the Flying Dutchmen ahead 33-26 at halftime.

Two more Hope starters added nine points apiece including senior forward Sam Otto and junior forward Harrison Blackledge.