Forward Maura McAfee and the nationally ranked Hope College women's basketball team made their 2015 home debut an impressive one. The Flying Dutch used a balanced effort to roll to an 83-41 win against Monmouth, Illinois Friday at DeVos Fieldhouse.
Seven players scored eight points or more for Hope, which never trailed after the first 3 minutes, 51 seconds of the first quarter.
Hope (2-0 overall) advanced to Saturday's 3 p.m. championship game of its Tip Off Tournament. The Flying Dutch will play 2-0 Bethany, W.V., an 85-77 winner against Ohio Wesleyan in Friday's first game.
McAfee led the Flying Dutch with a game-high 18 points. The 6-0 senior from Midland, Michigan (Midland HS) moved with nine points of becoming the 14th Hope player to reach the 1,000-point mark.
Sophomore guard Allie Gorcyca of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (Mercy HS) chipped nine points off the bench.
Five players netted eight points apiece: senior guard Autumn Anderson of Dorr, Michigan (Wayland HS), junior forward Mandy Traversa of Winfield, Illinois (Wheaton North HS), junior forward Allison Hedrick of Naperville, Illinois (Neuqua Valley HS), sophomore forward Heather Randall of Novi, Michigan (Northville HS) and freshman forward Francesca Buchanan of Grant, Michigan (Sparta HS).
The Flying Dutch outrebounded Monmouth (0-2) by a 52-30 margin and forced 27 turnovers. Hedrick topped Hope with seven rebounds.
Anderson collected six of Hope's 17 steals.
Bethany beat Ohio Wesleyan behind 22 points and 11 rebounds from sophomore forward Kelsea Daugherty.
