BOX SCORE
GREENCASTLE, IND. - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology rallied from an 13-point deficit second half with a convincing second half performance to top DePauw University 67-59 in men's basketball action on Monday night.
Junior Austin Weatherford (Cicero/Hamilton Heights) led four Rose-Hulman players in double figures with 17 points. Junior Nate Gissentanner (Conyers, Ga./Rockdale County) added 13 points on 5-5 from the field for the Engineers.
Senior Spencer Harlan (Terre Haute/South) recorded his first double-figure game of the season with 11 points on 4-5 from the field. Sophomore Julian Strickland (Indianapolis/Pike) pitched in with 10 points and four rebounds.
Tommy Weakley led DePauw with 11 points, and Sean Haseley added 10 for the Tigers.
DePauw jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first five minutes and pushed the lead as high as 16-3 at the 11:34 mark of the first half. Rose-Hulman answered with five straight points to close within eight points at 16-8, but DePauw withstood the early charge to take a 36-26 lead into the locker room.
Rose-Hulman opened the second half with a 7-2 run to set the tone and move within 38-33 on a score by Harlan at the 16:12 mark. DePauw pushed the lead to nine points again at 44-35 at the 13:31 mark, but Rose-Hulman rallied with a huge 22-3 spurt to take a 57-47 edge with 4:33 remaining.
Weatherford provided a key three-pointer to turn Rose-Hulman's 49-47 lead into a 52-47 edge. Gissentanner continued the run with a layup and a three-pointer to push the Engineer edge into double figures, while the defense allowed just three points in nine minutes.
DePauw closed to within five points at 62-57, but the Engineers relied on three free throws by Strickland and a pair by Weatherford to secure the victory.
Rose-Hulman enters the Holiday Break with a 9-2 overall record. DePauw dropped to 5-4. The Fightin' Engineers return to action on Jan. 3 at Earlham College.