GAME NOTES
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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology looks to solidify a position in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament in a matchup against Bluffton University on Saturday at 3 p.m.
The Fightin' Engineers would clinch a bid to the six-team event that takes place in late February with a win over Bluffton. Rose-Hulman would also clinch its fifth consecutive winning season with a victory over the Beavers.
Rose-Hulman (13-9, 9-6 HCAC) improved its HCAC Tournament hopes with a 64-51 win at Hanover College on Wednesday night. Junior Tyler Duffy led the Fightin' Engineer offense with 17 points. Junior Dillon Reynolds added a career-high 16 points in the first half to bolster the offensive performance.
Senior Corey Povaleri continues to lead the team in scoring at 10.4 points per game. Junior Matt Loesing is also in double figures at 10.0. The starting lineup also includes junior Jimmy Miller (9.8 ppg), Duffy (9.7) and sophomore Wade Stallings (5.3 ppg).
Sophomore Collin Wojcik leads the bench in scoring at 9.3 points per contest. Reynolds (4.8 ppg), senior Michael Hallstein (3.2 ppg) and junior Mitch Williams (2.6 ppg) have also appeared in over 20 contests.
Rose-Hulman has enjoyed a three-game winning streak entering Saturday's matchup. The Fightin' Engineers have defeated Earlham (85-52), Manchester (81-78) and Hanover in the recent streak.
Bluffton (11-11, 7-8 HCAC) features the second leading scorer in the HCAC in junior Thayne Recker (20.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg). Other projected starters include junior Andrew Finley (9.6 ppg), sophomore Austin Rohde (8.5 ppg), freshman Joshua Woodrich (7.2 ppg) and senior Ryan Ebbeskotte (4.7 ppg).
The Beavers had won three straight games prior to a last second 57-55 loss at conference leader Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday night. Bluffton enjoyed a win in the highest scoring game of the league season, a 103-102 triple overtime decision over Hanover, as part of the winning streak.
After Saturday's game, Rose-Hulman hosts Franklin College on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Hulbert Arena.
