TERRE HAUTE, IND. - Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology shot 61% from the field in the second half to earn a
67-56 men's basketball victory over Transylvania University on
Saturday.
Junior Blake Knotts (Louisville, Ky./Christian) led three Engineers in double figures with a game-high 21 points. Knotts buried five three-pointers and also led the team with six rebounds.
Sophomore Nate Gissentanner (Conyers, Ga./Rockdale County) added 11 points, five rebounds and a team-high four assists. Freshman Julian Strickland (Indianapolis/Pike) also reached double figures with 10 points and pitched in with six rebounds.
Ethan Spurlin came off the bench to lead Transylvania in scoring with 11 points. Barrett Meyer and Taylor Botkin also reached double figures with 10 points each.
Transylvania jumped out to a 10-2 lead five minutes into the game, before the Engineers rallied to knot the score at 17-17. Rose-Hulman scored five straight points to take a 22-21 lead into the intermission.
Transylvania regained a four-point edge at 29-25, but the Engineers answered with a 6-1 run to regain the lead on a three-pointer by Knotts at the 13:02 mark.
The Pioneers led again at 36-33, before Rose-Hulman answered with a 12-3 run to capture a six-point lead at the 7:35 mark on a conventional three-point play by Gissentanner.
The Engineer defense continued, as Transylvania was held to just one field goal over five minutes to put Rose-Hulman in front 47-40 at the 6:47 mark. The lead finally reached as high as 13 points on two free throws by sophomore Jon Gerken (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora) at the 3:42 mark.
Rose-Hulman and Transylvania both stand 13-6 overall and 7-5 in HCAC play after Saturday's contests. The Engineers return to action with a Wednesday night home matchup against in-state league rival Earlham College.