TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology men's basketball team snapped a three-game skid on Saturday afternoon, defeating Defiance College 73-60 in Hulbert Arena. 

Defiance opened the action with energy and grabbed a 7-0 lead just three minutes into the game. Rose-Hulman traded baskets with the Yellow Jackets but the Fightin' Engineers trailed 13-6 at the 13:33 mark in the first period. However, over the next seven minutes RHIT used a 22-2 run to take control of the game, securing a 28-15 lead with 6:25 left to play in the half.  Rose-Hulman shot 55.2% (16-29) from the floor in the first half and scored 14 points off of nine Defiance turnovers.  Heading into break RHIT led 38-28.

In the first few minutes of the second half Defiance trimmed Rose's lead to six at 40-34.  After a timeout by Rose-Hulman with 15:13 left in the game, the Fightin' Engineers responded with five straight points to push their lead back to 11 points at 45-34.  Later on in the half with Rose leading by five, Collin Wojcik and Chris Schenck nailed back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead back to double digits and swing momentum back to the Fightin' Engineers. 

Rose-Hulman's largest lead of the game came with 5:59 left on the clock.  Rose-Hulman led by 19 at 63-44 and never looked back.  The Fightin' Engineers would win by a final score of 73-60.

Four Engineers finished in double figures for RHIT.  Wojcik and Wade Stallings both scored 15 points a piece.  Stephen Schueth finished with 11 points and Charlie Aimone added 10.  Nick McGrail had a team-high eight rebounds on the afternoon.  For the game the Fightin' Engineers shot 52.9% (27-51) from the floor and held Defiance to just 36.7% (22-60) shooting.

The win improved Rose-Hulman's record to 6-9, 4-4 HCAC.  Defiance fell to 4-11, 3-5 HCAC.  The men will return to action on Wednesday January 18 at home against Earlham College.  Gametime will be at 7:30 pm in Hulbert Arena.