Third quarter surge sends Rio past Pioneers

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Knowing that the University of Rio Grande had used late second quarter scoring spurts to open up big halftime leads in each of its previous two outings, visiting Point Park University had to feel good about trailing the RedStorm just 40-36 at the intermission on Tuesday night.
     Then came the third quarter and, subsequently, yet another lopsided affair.
     The 13th-ranked RedStorm scored just one fewer point in the third period than it did in each of the first two stanzas combined, taking a 21-point lead into the fourth quarter and fueling an eventual 108-73 triumph over the Pioneers in River States Conference action at the Newt Oliver Arena.
     Rio Grande improved to 22-3 overall and 13-1 inside the RSC with a fourth consecutive victory.
     Point Park dropped to 8-15 overall and 5-10 against league foes with a third straight loss.
     The Pioneers trailed 25-24 after one quarter and were still within striking distance given the scant four-point halftime deficit, but wilted under the pressure of Rio Grande's third quarter barrage.
     The RedStorm scored 17 of the first 20 points out of the halftime break to take an 18-point advantage and led by as many as 24 points with just over two minutes left in period before settling on their 21-point cushion entering the game's final 10 minutes.
     Rio went 17-for-24 from the floor in the period (70.8%), including 16-for-19 (84.2%) in non-three-point attempts. The RedStorm also had just two turnovers in the same time frame.
     Point Park shot a respectable 41 percent in the quarter (7-for-17) and scored 22 points of its own but, at the same time, the Pioneers hurt their own cause with six turnovers in the quarter.
     PPU got no closer the rest of the way and, in fact, trailed by as many as 38 points, 108-70, after Rio Grande senior Reagan Willingham (Ashville, OH) drained a three-point goal with 8.6 seconds left to play.
     Twelve of the 14 players in uniform for Rio managed to score, including five in double figures.
     Sophomore Kaylee Darnell (Wheelersburg, OH) netted a game-high 23 points, including 19 in the second half, to lead the winning effort. She also had eight rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.
     Senior Ella Skeens (Chillicothe, OH) scored 13 of her 18 points over the final two quarters, while junior Jocelyn Abraham (Exchange, WV) and sophomore Harlei Antritt (Newark, OH) had 13 points each.
     The point total represented a season-high for Abraham, who also yanked down a team-high nine rebounds.
     Junior Lavender Ward (Charleston, WV) also got in on the act, scoring a season-high 10 points an handing out five assists, while sophomore Azyiah Williams (Ripley, OH) had a game-best nine assists and Skeens had three steals.
     Rio Grande shot 50.6 percent overall (44-for-87), while going 15-for-19 at the foul line (78.9%) and outrebounding the Pioneers, 57-37.
     Alexis Giles and Sierra Seneta scored 18 points each to lead Point Park, while Ari Bleda netted 16 points and Taylor Rinn had 11 points and nine rebounds. Giles also had two assists.
     The Pioneers shot just 34 percent overall (27-for-79) and 32 percent from three-point range (9-for-28).
     Rio Grande returns to action on Saturday with its final road game of the regular season schedule against West Virginia University-Tech.
     Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center in Beckley, W.Va.