BOX SCORE
TERRE HAUTE, IND. --
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology relied on another strong
defensive effort to top in-state rival Wabash College 61-37 in
men's basketball action on Monday night.
The Fightin' Engineers improved to 3-1 on the season and held their third opponent to 45 points or less in the season's first four games.
The defensive performance marked the first time since 1942 that Rose-Hulman held Wabash to under 40 points in a game. The Fightin' Engineers held Wabash to just 36% from the field and 1-11 from three-point range in the effort.
Junior James Pillischafske (Louisville, Ky./Male) (pictured) led the Rose-Hulman offensive attack with 14 points on four three-point field goals.
Senior Nate Gissentanner (Conyers, Ga./Rockdale County) came off the bench for 11 points, and junior Julian Strickland (Indianapolis/Pike) helped balanced the scoring output with nine points.
Senior Brenton Balsbaugh (Greenville, Ohio/Arcanum) contributed eight points and five rebounds, with senior Jon Gerken (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora) adding eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
Senior Austin Weatherford (Cicero/Hamilton Heights) provided seven points and team-highs of nine rebounds and four assists.
The teams battled through a tightly contested first half, before Rose-Hulman held a 28-26 lead at the 16:17 mark of the second half. The Fightin' Engineers turned up the defense with a 12-2 run over the next seven minutes to push the lead to 40-28 with under nine minutes to play. Pillischafske and Weatherford provided key three-point shots in the spurt.
Rose-Hulman returns to action with its home opener against Fontbonne University on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at Hulbert Arena.