KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Griffon Men's Basketball (9-2, 2-0 MIAA) earned a hard-fought road victory on Saturday, extending its winning streak to six games with a 78–74 win over non-conference opponent Rockhurst (6-3, 2-1 GLVC) at Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse.

Rockhurst jumped out to a strong opening stretch, building an eight-point advantage at the 13:42 mark to go up 14–6. The Griffons struggled to generate momentum early, as the Hawks maintained that eight-point cushion at 23–15 with 9:23 remaining in the half.

MWSU responded late, pulling even on a momentum-shifting three-pointer from Devin Butler at the 4:46 mark to tie the game at 26–26. Rockhurst carried a narrow edge into halftime, taking a 37–35 lead into the break.

The second half featured a back-and-forth battle, with neither side able to gain separation as the game was tied 54–54 at the 12:00 mark. Both teams traded small runs and brief leads.

The Griffons trailed by five late, facing a 72–67 deficit with 5:14 remaining. A clutch three-pointer from Trey McKowen cut the margin to two, 72–70, with 3:16 to play. MWSU then locked in defensively, holding Rockhurst scoreless until its final field goal with 16 seconds left. Calm free throws down the stretch from William Kiburis and Marko Pavlovic secured a 78–74 road win for the Griffons.

MWSU finished the game shooting 38.5% from the field, 21.1% from three-point range, and 75.0% at the free-throw line.

Rockhurst shot 47.1% from the field, 21.7% from three-point range, and 62.5% at the free-throw line.

Kiburis led the way with a team-high and career-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, adding 10 rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Pavlovic posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards while anchoring the defense with four blocks. Butler finished with 11 points going 4-4 at the foul line.

What's Next
Griffon Men's Basketball takes on Avila University on Tuesday, December 16 at 11 a.m. inside the Looney Complex as part of Midland Empire Education Day.
Presented by Moffet Nursery and Garden Shop, the morning matchup will welcome more than 2,700 students from 20 elementary and middle schools across eight surrounding counties.