Box Score Malachi Nix and Gabe Brown combined for 43 points to lead Rockhurst to a 77-73 victory over Rogers State Saturday at Mason-Halpin Field House.
Nix finished with 23 points and six assists. The 5-8 senior guard scored 16 points in the second half while connecting on 13-of-16 free throws. Brown tallied a career-high 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked four shots.
The Hawks (5-4) held off a late Rogers State rally after taking a 71-59 lead with 3:19 left in the game. The Hillcats went on a 12-1 run to pull within one point, 72-71, with 1:32 remaining. Rockhurst canned six-of-seven free throws in the final two minutes to finish 21-of-26 (80.8 percent) at the foul line.
"This was a great win for us,"Â said Rockhurst coach Drew Diener. "Our guys stayed poised, made free throws and finished the game strong. They got real hot from (the 3-point line) in the second half; that's a credit to them. We are getting better; that's the important thing."
Kaleb Warner posted 12 points and eight rebounds. Andrew Ellwanger tallied nine points on three 3-pointers. Connor Evans added seven points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Rockhurst shot 43.1 percent from the field (22 of 51) and 40.0 percent on three-point field goals (12 of 30). Rogers State finished with a 42.1 field goal percentage (24 of 57) and 62.5 three-point field goal percentage (10 of 16).
The Hawks will host Ottawa on Monday, December 19.
