The Calvin–Hope men's basketball rivalry is a college sports rivalry between the men's basketball teams of Hope College Flying Dutchmen of Holland, Michigan, and the Calvin University Knights of Grand Rapids, Michigan, which participate at the NCAA Division III level.
Tom Davelaar, assistant coach to Hope's basketball team, once said, "... both schools and fan bases are so alike - and yet we think we're different somehow.
[6] In 2009, the rivalry turned ugly - the two teams faced off against each other in the MIAA championship when a Hope student was instigating fans in the upper concourse late in the 2nd half at VanNoord Arena celebrating what would become a Hope victory, when the Hope student kicked a Calvin student's legs and a scuffle occurred.
[citation needed] In 2015, it again turned ugly as Calvin students stormed the court in a nail-biter victory in the MIAA championship, while a Hope player laid in the middle of the floor, nearly getting trampled by the court storming.
[8] ESPN also conducted an on-line "fan poll" in which 80% of voters picked the Knights vs.