A week after picking up their first win ever against MIAA foe Calvin College, the Panthers started strong and defeated Hope College to improve to 1-2 all-time against the Flying Dutchmen. Davenport raced out to a twenty point halftime lead (55-35) and never looked back while improving to 8-0 on the season.

James Humphrey (Fort Wayne, Ind.), who scored a team high 23 points, got the night started with a three-point play on the opening possession and DU scored five of the first seven points. Hope, playing in just their first game of the season, used a 10-4 run over the next 3:51 to take a 10-9 lead but it would be their last as James Nelson (New Haven, Mich.) converted a layup on the ensuing possession and DU was off and running.

The Panthers scored 10 straight points that covered 2:20 of game clock to open a 19-10 lead and the margin would grow to as many as 20 in the opening half when freshman Zach Yeagy (Alexandria, Ind.) hit a runner in the lane with 1:19 to play to give Davenport a 55-35 lead at the break.

The Panthers shot 52% from the field in the opening half while limiting the Flying Dutchmen to 46% but the big story may have been the foul trouble for Hope's starting point guard David Krombeen. The junior picked up three fouls in the first half and played only nine minutes.

For as good as their offense was in the opening half, DU came out of the locker room and struggled from the field in the first five minutes of the second as they converted just one field goal, a three pointer from JaVontae Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich.), as Hope climbed back to within 14 at 55-41. 

Davenport however found their touch and used an 8-0 run over the next 1:21 of play to increase the margin back to 22 after a long ball from James Humphrey (Fort Wayne, Ind.). The lead grew to as many as 23 on a layup from Nathan Cox (Flushing, Mich.) with 11:13 to play. Cox, who had scored over 20 points in all but one game this season, was held to just 13 but finished a perfect 7-7 from the charity stripe.

The win is the first ever over Hope College giving the Panthers back to back wins vs. the top two teams from the MIAA after defeating Calvin last week 88-79. Davenport extended its home non-conference winning streak at the Student Center to 18 games in a row.

James Nelson (New Haven, Mich.), the reigning WHAC Player of the Week, chipped in 10 points and 7 rebounds while freshman DeArmond Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) led the Panthers with 10 rebounds. Red-shirt freshman JaVontae Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich.) came off the bench to provide a spark for DU finishing with 9 points while hitting two of three shots from behind the arc and also chipped in three rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Davenport will hit the road for the first time this Saturday when they travel to Notre Dame, IN to take on Holy Cross College. Game time is set for 3:00pm.