DECATUR, ILL. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
improved to 4-0 in men's basketball for the first time since the
1977-78 season with a 60-39 victory at Millikin University on
Sunday.
Rose-Hulman's balanced scoring attack featured two players with a team-high nine points and a total of six players with six points or more.
Senior Blake Knotts (Louisville, Ky./Christian) and junior Nate Gissentanner (Conyers, Ga./Rockdale County) had nine points each for the Engineers.
Sophomore James Pillischafske (Louisville, Ky./Male) pitched in with seven points. Junior Jon Gerken (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora) added six points and a team-high six rebounds, with senior Spencer Harlan (Terre Haute/South Vigo) and junior Austin Weatherford (Cicero/Hamilton Heights) contributing six points and five rebounds each.
The 4-0 start has been keyed by team defense, with Rose-Hulman holding its third straight opponent to 50 points or less. The team has allowed just 47.8 points per game to lead the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference this year.
Rose-Hulman shot 52% from the field and hit 12-15 free throw attempts, while holding to Millikin to just 29% for the afternoon to secure the win.
Millikin jumped out to a 6-3 lead, before a 9-2 run put Rose-Hulman ahead 12-8 on a three-pointer by Knotts at the 11:28 mark.
After Millikin closed to within 12-10, Rose-Hulman relied on a 20-2 run to gain a 30-12 edge with 3:12 left in the opening half and take control of the game. The Big Blue were held to just four points over the 10-minute span. Gissentanner sparked the run with six straight points.
Rose-Hulman stands 4-0 and returns to action on Wednesday at 7:30 with the home opener against Wabash College, which also stands 4-0 this season after topping DePauw on Sunday. Wabash finished 20-6 last season, while Rose-Hulman was 16-10.