January 30, 2010

RedStorm women lose to Cumberlands

Rio Grande --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm women's basketball team played well early but a 28-8 run midway through the first half by visiting University of the Cumberlands, ranked No. 12 in the latest NAIA Division I Top 25 rating, sent Rio Grande down to an 84-56 defeat at the Newt Oliver Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Rio Grande (13-9, 4-2 MSC) had picked where it left off from Thursday's win over Pikeville College as they jumped out to a 14-9 lead. From that point on Cumberlands could not be stopped.

Cumberlands (16-6, 5-1 MSC) went on a 15-3 run to take a 24-17 lead and pushed that run to 28-8 and the advantage to 15 points at 37-22 with 3:41 left in the opening half. 

The Patriots led 39-25 at the half. 

Rio Grande, who had received one vote in the NAIA D I Top 25 poll, could never mount a rally despite shooting over 51 percent for the game (18-of-35). Twenty-two turnovers and allowing Cumberlands to collect 19 offensive rebounds were huge keys to the game. 

Junior guard Jenna Smith (Bellefontaine, OH) led Rio Grande in scoring for the second consecutive game and for the fourth time in the last five with 20 points. Junior forward Leah Kendro (Strongsville, OH) added 14 points. They were the only players to score in double figures for the RedStorm. 

Junior guard Bre Davis (Marietta, OH) managed only six points, but did hand out six assists to lead Rio Grande.

Cumberlands received a huge game from Darnellia Russell, who scored a game-high 32 points on 10-of-14 from the field. She was deadly from long range, nailing 7-of-10 three-point attempts. Sonia Thompson added 19 points, pulled down six rebounds and dished out five assists.

"Cumberlands is just a great ball club," said Rio Grande head coach David Smalley. "I think Coach (Melissa) Irvin has done a tremendous job. What they have that we don't have is just athleticism, they're long and even though they light on numbers tonight they were still deeper than what we were."

"Welcome to the Mid-South, this is the reality of it," Smalley added. "When we did into some transition we got a few stops and boxed out and we got in the flow, we looked pretty good. We looked like what we have been doing in the past. When you give up 19 offensive rebounds to a very, very good team and then they're shooting the ball pretty well, you're going to be in trouble."

Rio Grande will head to Georgetown, KY on Thursday for a match-up with the Georgetown College Tigers, who received three votes in the most recent NAIA Division I Top 25 rating. 

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. Stretch Internet will have play-by-play coverage beginning at 5:50 p.m. 

This will be the third meeting between the two schools in women's basketball and each side has won a game.