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HOLLAND, Mich. -- The 18th-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team is set for a 7:30 pm tip against fourth-ranked host Hope College in Holland, Michigan Friday night, as the Captains and Flying Dutch match up for the second straight year in the NCAA "Sweet 16". The Captains (25-4) will face Hope (28-1) in the second game of a sectional semifinal after third-ranked Thomas More College takes on Gustavus Adolphus College at 5:30 pm at the DeVos Fieldhouse. 

This will be just the second all-time meeting between Hope and Christopher Newport, with the Captains securing a win in last season's Sectional Semifinals on a neutral court at Ohio Northern College, 79-74. Hope comes into Friday night's tilt riding a 10-game winning streak, including a pair of convincing NCAA Tournament wins last weekend. The Flying Dutch defeated Cornell College, 75-50, in the first round before an 85-69 victory over Washington (Mo.) in the second. 

The Captains opened the year as a pre-season top-five ranked team and three of their four losses this season have come to NCAA Tournament teams, including the aforementioned Thomas More squad. CNU earned a spot in this year's Sweet 16 with a first round win over Haverford College, 63-50, and a second round victory at Randolph-Macon College, 84-58. In the latter, the Captains were the first team to out-rebound the Yellow Jackets all season. 

CNU is playing in the program's 19th NCAA Tournament appearance all time, including the fifth in six seasons under head coach Bill Broderick. CNU is now 13-4 in the NCAA Tournament under Coach Broderick; Hope is 32-15 under 21st-year head coach Brian Morehouse, who has guided Hope to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2006 NCAA National Championship season. 

This season, the Captains feature one of the most tormenting defensive units in the nation, ranking third nationally in steals per game and turnovers forced per game. Led by seniors Sam Porter, Makenzie Fancher, and junior Zhara Tannor, the Captains defense has eclipsed 500 steals in a season for just the second time in program history. With 528 thefts, the 2017-18 season ranks behind only the 1990-91 season with 547 steals in a season. 

Offensively, CNU has been incredible on the offensive glass this season, setting a new program mark with over 600 O-boards. That effort has led to an average of 17.0 second chance points per game, including 26 against one of the top rebounding teams in the nation last weekend in Randolph-Macon. Porter leads a balanced attack as the only player averaging double figures, scoring 10.2 points per game. Fellow first team All-Conference teammate Makenzie Fancher is adding 7.7 points per game while dishing 96 assists. She ranks fourth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio this season with just 33 giveaways. 

Hope enters the home game without three starters from last year's Sweet 16 squad, but returns junior Francesca Buchanan, who had 12 points on 5-8 shooting against CNU in last year's matchup. Buchanan leads the team with 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field. Senior guard Madison Geers is the other starter back for Coach Morehouse and she is averaging double figures as well with 10.1 points per game. Newcomer to the squad this season, rookie Kenedy Schoonveld, is the third Flying Dutch player in double figures, pouring in 11.5 points per game. Schoonveld with shooting 49.6% from the floor while hitting a deadly 41.7% from beyond the arc. 

The trio leading the way for Hope were all selected as All-Conference players by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). Buchanan and Schoonveld were first team picks and Geers earned a second team nod. 

For fans unable to attend the Sweet 16 matchup, live stats and a live video webcast will be available online. Links to both can be found at the top of this page, as well as on the CNU Women's Basketball schedule at CNUsports.com. Ticket information, directions and more can also be found at the Sectional Website linked at the top of this page.