Brian Bibb skies for two of his career-high 31 points.

TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology relied on a career-high 31 points from senior Brian Bibb (Hoopeston, Ill.) to hold off a furious Fontbonne University rally and earn an 80-78 men's basketball victory on Monday.

Bibb added 16 rebounds and finished 12-14 from the field in 39 minutes of action.  The effort marked his career high in points and second-best rebounding mark.

Senior Jason Bednarko (Athens, Ill.) added 16 points, including a trio of three-point field goals, for Rose-Hulman.

Other key contributors for the Engineers included junior Ron George (Louisville, Ky./Manual) with eight points and five assists; and junior Phil Sundling (Huntington/North) with seven assists, four rebounds and three points.

Jason Bednarko also reached double figures with 16.

Brian Fogerty led four Fontbonne players in double figures with 21 points.  Trevor White and Joshua Branch each contributed 15 points and Cartez Parker added 14.

The Engineers led by as many as 21 points at 42-21 late in the first half and held a 17-point edge at 44-27 at the break.  Rose-Hulman shot 58% from the field in the opening 20 minutes of action.

Rose-Hulman maintained a 15-point lead at the 8:48 mark of the second half at 65-50 on a layup by Bednarko.  The lead stayed 70-55 on a three-pointer by Bibb with 6:16 remaining.

Fontbonne began its charge with 11 consecutive points to move within 70-66 on a three-pointer by Patrick McCoy with 3:55 remaining.  Rose-Hulman pushed the lead to 77-70 with 53 seconds left on a key trey by Bednarko.

Fontbonne relied on a layup by Parker, a three-pointer by Branch and another trey by Parker to close within 79-78 with 12 seconds left.  Sophomore Lorenzo Rice (Grandview, Mo.) made one of two free throws to make the score 80-78, and the Griffins then had a missed jumper by Parker with two seconds left.

Bibb missed both free throws on the ensuing play, however, allowing Fontbonne a final chance.  The Engineer defense held the Griffins without a shot as the buzzer sounded to secure the win.

Rose-Hulman improved to 4-4 on the season, while Fontbonne dropped to 2-4.  The Engineers travel to Earlham for the annual John Mutchner Cup Game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.