RedStorm men clobber Celtics

Rio Grande Sports Information
     PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Admittedly, University of Rio Grande men's basketball head coach Ryan Arrowood says the intensity level in which his team plays defense is significantly better at home in the friendly confines of the Newt Oliver Arena.
     But on Saturday afternoon, his team showed that it's defensive play can travel as well.
     The RedStorm limited host Carlow University to just under 23 percent shooting and a season-low point total in an 89-37 pasting of the Celtics in River States Conference play at Oakland Catholic High School's Donahue Pavilion.
     Rio Grande collected its seventh straight win, improving to 8-3 overall and 4-0 inside the RSC. Three of its league victories have come on the road.
     Carlow suffered a 13th straight loss, falling to 1-15 overall and 0-5 in conference play.
     The Celtics' 37 points marked the fewest points allowed by a Rio Grande team since a 101-25 dismantling of Ohio State University-Mansfield on Nov. 1, 2019 and the fewest allowed to an NAIA opponent since a 38-36 loss at then-Pikeville College on Nov. 19, 2005 - Arrowood's senior season at Rio.
     The RedStorm also blocked as a season-high eight shots and, while Carlow had only four more turnovers (14) than its guest (10), Rio enjoyed a 21-0 edge in points off of turnovers.
     Rio Grande used a 15-0 run to open up a 30-7 lead after a bucket by junior Taylor Mack (Akron, OH) with 3:40 left in the opening half and Carlow didn't hit double figures until a conventional three-point play by Riley Comforti 12 seconds later.
     The RedStorm lead stood at 40-15 at halftime and continued to grow in the second stanza.
     A 25-8 spurt to began the second half made 65-23 after a pair of free throws by graduate senior Mike Cody (Cookeville, TN) with 9:50 remaining.
     A 14-5 run over the next four minutes pushed the lead to 51 points, 79-28, after two free throws by sophomore Khamani Smith (Fort Wayne, IN) with 5:53 left and Rio's largest lead of the night, 89-31, came after junior Braam Hein (Murrumbateman, Australia) banked in a three-pointer with 48 seconds remaining.
     All 13 players in uniform for the RedStorm scored in the victory.
     Rio shot just under 48 percent for the game (33-for-69), including a 12-for-30 showing from three-point range (40.0%), and enjoyed a commanding 55-32 edge in rebounding.
     Freshman Kaden Warner (Cincinnati, OH) led a quartet of double-digit scorers for the RedStorm with a game-high 18 points, while junior Miki Tadic (Hilversum, The Netherlands) and senior Shiloah Blevins (South Webster, OH) tossed in 11 points each. Tadic also had a game-best five assists.
     Cody completed the foursome with 10 points, while sophomore Exauce Manissa (Point Noire, The Congo) had a game- and season-high 10 rebounds.
     Carlow finished 14-for-62 from the floor overall (22.6%) and went just 4-for-24 from three-point range (16.7%).
     Comforti led the Celtics with 15 points and seven rebounds. No other Carlow player had more than nine points or four rebounds.
     Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday night when it travels to Pippa Passes, Ky. for a meeting with Alice Lloyd College, which ended the RedStorm's 2021-22 campaign with a triple overtime victory in the quarterfinal round of the RSC Tournament.
     Tuesday's rematch is set for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.