Rio Grande News
Fri, Jan 27, 2012 - [Basketball]
Rio Grande Sports Information
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande men's and women's basketball teams put the wraps on the non-conference portion of their respective schedules Saturday afternoon when West Virginia University Tech pays a visit to the Newt Oliver Arena.
Tipoff for the women's game is scheduled for 2 p.m., with the men's game to follow 20 minutes after the conclusion of the opening contest at approximately 4 p.m.
WVU Tech is leaving the Mid-South Conference following the conclusion of the 2011-12 season, but is ineligible for the league title and individual honors this season after it petitioned for re-admittance into NCAA Division II last year.
In the opener, head coach David Smalley's Rio Grande will look for a second straight victory after rolling past former America Mideast Conference rival Wilberforce, 84-62, on Wednesday night. The RedStorm used a 13-0 run in the opening moments of the game and a 17-2 run early in the second half to create a comfortable lead.
Senior guard Kaylee Helton (Lucasville, OH) scored 19 points, while junior forward Jayvonna Saddler (Cincinnati, OH) added 18 points and 10 rebounds and junior guard Shardae-Morrison Fountain netted 17.
Helton leads Rio Grande (14-7) in scoring at 16.6 points per game, while Morrison-Fountain is scoring at a 15.4 ppg clip. Sophomore guard Kate Hammond (Greenfield, OH), who averages just under 10 points per game, missed Wednesday's contest with a hand injury she suffered in a loss last Saturday at Shawnee State and will likely miss Saturday's tilt with Tech.
Saddler averages 9.2 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds per outing.
WVU Tech hasn't played since falling to nationally-ranked Georgetown, 96-46, last Saturday. Junior guard Amber Tully (5-3) had 17 in the loss for the Golden Bears, while freshman guard Nia Nolan (5-6) added 14.
WVU Tech (3-15), which dropped a 79-74 decision to Rio Grande on December 1, 2011 in Montgomery, is led by junior guard Amy Gardner (17.5 ppg and 7.2 rpg) and Tully (14.0 ppg).
The back end of Saturday's twinbill, features a Rio Grande team trying to put the brakes on a recent downward spiral and a WVU Tech that has won six of its last eight outings.
Rio Grande (10-11) has lost three straight games and six of last seven, including a 75-67 setback at former Mid-Ohio Conference and America Mideast Conference rival Cedarville on Tuesday. The RedStorm held a one-point lead at the intermission, but the Yellow Jackets scored 14 straight points in the opening minutes of the second half and held on down the stretch.
Junior center Dominick Haynes (Cleveland, OH) scored a career-high 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the loss, while junior forward Turrell Morris (Columbus, OH) netted 22 points and senior forward Shaun Gunnell (Columbus, OH) had 12.
Morris continues to lead the RedStorm in both scoring (15.6) and rebounding (8.4), while Gunnell averages 12.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. Haynes is averaging 10 points per game.
WVU Tech improved to 14-6 with a 99-72 win at home over Southern Virginia on Wednesday night.
Senior guard Donald Robinson (6-4) scored 29 points to lead four Bears in double figures, while senior forward Eddie Hayden (6-7) added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard David Rawlinson (5-11) contributed 16 points to the win, while junior guard Terrale Clark (6-4) chipped in with 13 points.
Hayden leads Tech at 16.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, while Robinson checks in at 15.8 points per night. Senior center Josh Proctor (6-8), who has missed the last six games while getting some academic issues in order, averages 13.8 points per game and is expected to return.
Rawlinson averages 12.2 points per game for the Bears.
WVU Tech won the earlier meeting between the two squads, 92-56, on December 1, 2011 in Montgomery. The Bears connected on 14 three-point goals in piling up the most points allowed by Rio Grande this season.
Saturday's men's game will also be part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend, a collaborative initiative of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society.
Participating NABC-member college men's basketball coaches, including Rio Grande head coach Ken French and WVU Tech head coach Bob Williams - as well as the assistant coaches for both schools - will be wearing sneakers instead of dress shoes with their usual game attire to demonstrate their support for the American Cancer Society and the fight against cancer.
Webcasts of both games will be available at www.ihigh.com/redstorm beginning 15 minutes prior to the start of each game.
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande men's and women's basketball teams put the wraps on the non-conference portion of their respective schedules Saturday afternoon when West Virginia University Tech pays a visit to the Newt Oliver Arena.
Tipoff for the women's game is scheduled for 2 p.m., with the men's game to follow 20 minutes after the conclusion of the opening contest at approximately 4 p.m.
WVU Tech is leaving the Mid-South Conference following the conclusion of the 2011-12 season, but is ineligible for the league title and individual honors this season after it petitioned for re-admittance into NCAA Division II last year.
In the opener, head coach David Smalley's Rio Grande will look for a second straight victory after rolling past former America Mideast Conference rival Wilberforce, 84-62, on Wednesday night. The RedStorm used a 13-0 run in the opening moments of the game and a 17-2 run early in the second half to create a comfortable lead.
Senior guard Kaylee Helton (Lucasville, OH) scored 19 points, while junior forward Jayvonna Saddler (Cincinnati, OH) added 18 points and 10 rebounds and junior guard Shardae-Morrison Fountain netted 17.
Helton leads Rio Grande (14-7) in scoring at 16.6 points per game, while Morrison-Fountain is scoring at a 15.4 ppg clip. Sophomore guard Kate Hammond (Greenfield, OH), who averages just under 10 points per game, missed Wednesday's contest with a hand injury she suffered in a loss last Saturday at Shawnee State and will likely miss Saturday's tilt with Tech.
Saddler averages 9.2 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds per outing.
WVU Tech hasn't played since falling to nationally-ranked Georgetown, 96-46, last Saturday. Junior guard Amber Tully (5-3) had 17 in the loss for the Golden Bears, while freshman guard Nia Nolan (5-6) added 14.
WVU Tech (3-15), which dropped a 79-74 decision to Rio Grande on December 1, 2011 in Montgomery, is led by junior guard Amy Gardner (17.5 ppg and 7.2 rpg) and Tully (14.0 ppg).
The back end of Saturday's twinbill, features a Rio Grande team trying to put the brakes on a recent downward spiral and a WVU Tech that has won six of its last eight outings.
Rio Grande (10-11) has lost three straight games and six of last seven, including a 75-67 setback at former Mid-Ohio Conference and America Mideast Conference rival Cedarville on Tuesday. The RedStorm held a one-point lead at the intermission, but the Yellow Jackets scored 14 straight points in the opening minutes of the second half and held on down the stretch.
Junior center Dominick Haynes (Cleveland, OH) scored a career-high 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the loss, while junior forward Turrell Morris (Columbus, OH) netted 22 points and senior forward Shaun Gunnell (Columbus, OH) had 12.
Morris continues to lead the RedStorm in both scoring (15.6) and rebounding (8.4), while Gunnell averages 12.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. Haynes is averaging 10 points per game.
WVU Tech improved to 14-6 with a 99-72 win at home over Southern Virginia on Wednesday night.
Senior guard Donald Robinson (6-4) scored 29 points to lead four Bears in double figures, while senior forward Eddie Hayden (6-7) added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard David Rawlinson (5-11) contributed 16 points to the win, while junior guard Terrale Clark (6-4) chipped in with 13 points.
Hayden leads Tech at 16.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, while Robinson checks in at 15.8 points per night. Senior center Josh Proctor (6-8), who has missed the last six games while getting some academic issues in order, averages 13.8 points per game and is expected to return.
Rawlinson averages 12.2 points per game for the Bears.
WVU Tech won the earlier meeting between the two squads, 92-56, on December 1, 2011 in Montgomery. The Bears connected on 14 three-point goals in piling up the most points allowed by Rio Grande this season.
Saturday's men's game will also be part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend, a collaborative initiative of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society.
Participating NABC-member college men's basketball coaches, including Rio Grande head coach Ken French and WVU Tech head coach Bob Williams - as well as the assistant coaches for both schools - will be wearing sneakers instead of dress shoes with their usual game attire to demonstrate their support for the American Cancer Society and the fight against cancer.
Webcasts of both games will be available at www.ihigh.com/redstorm beginning 15 minutes prior to the start of each game.
