KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Rockhurst Hawks men’s basketball team is looking to end on a strong note Monday afternoon before a 12-day break from game action.

The Hawks (5-4) host the Ottawa University (Kan.) Braves in a non-conference matchup scheduled for noon on Monday at the Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse. The game will be an exhibition for the Braves (6-7).

Rockhurst comes into Monday’s game after a 77-73 victory on Dec. 10 against Rogers State. The Hawks were up by 14 points at halftime against Rogers State but were outscored 49-39 in the second half before coming away with the four-point win. Senior guard Malachi Nix led the Hawks with 23 points, and Gabe Brown was right behind with 20.

Dealing with injuries already, the Hawks have had a hard time finding consistency at times on the court. They are 1-2 in the GLVC in the young season, posting a victory against William Jewell and losing to Quincy and Truman State.

Alex Hagan leads the Hawks in scoring so far this season but will miss Monday’s game with an injury. 6-7 forward Kaleb Warner is close behind Hagan, averaging 14 points per game.

The Hawks have had a hard time in a couple different aspects of their game in the team’s nine games to date. Rockhurst is getting outrebounded by nearly eight rebounds per game and is shooting 69 percent as a team from the free throw line.

The Braves are a member of the NAIA and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The university is located in Ottawa, Kan.