Rio women bounce Bears, 102-96

Rio Grande Sports Information
     BECKLEY, W.Va. - Despite growing up less than two hours away from the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center, University of Rio Grande junior forward Jocelyn Abraham never had the chance to play a high school game inside one of the Mountain State's most highly-recognized venues for basketball.
     Perhaps that's what made the biggest game of her collegiate career somewhat poetic.
     The Braxton County high product tossed in a career-high 21 points to back two of her more scoring-proficient teammates - both of whom also eclipsed the 20-point mark - in leading the RedStorm to a 102-96 triumph over a spirited West Virginia University-Tech squad, Saturday afternoon, in River States Conference women's basketball action.
     Senior Ella Skeens (Chillicothe, OH) had a game-high 25 points and sophomore Kaylee Darnell (Wheelersburg, OH) added 24 of her own for Rio Grande, which improved to 23-3 overall and 14-1 in conference play with a fifth straight victory.
     The win was the first-ever for the RedStorm - who are ranked No. 13 in the latest NAIA coaches' Top 25 poll - at the Convention Center.
     Skeens also had 10 rebounds in the winning effort, while junior Lexi Woods (Waverly, OH) added a game-high 12 rebounds and sophomore Azyiah Williams (Ripley, OH) handed out a career-high 15 assists, but it was Abraham who provided Rio with the extra something en route to completing a season sweep of its East Division rival.
     The Exchange, W.Va. native, who averaged just under six points per game entering the contest, connected on nine of her 12 field goal attempts and finished 3-for-4 at the foul line. She also set a new career-high with three assists.
     Abraham, who was averaging just 4.8 points per game over her first 19 appearances this season, has now scored at a 13.8 ppg clip over her past four outings.
     Rio Grande led 27-24 at the close of a back-and-forth first quarter before extending its advantage to 59-47 by halftime.
     Tech refused to go away, though, and pulled to within 69-66 following a conventional three-point play by Alva Hedrich with 4:39 left in the third quarter, but Rio again rebounded to push its lead to 13 points, 85-72, by the close of the period.
     The RedStorm's lead grew to largest margin of the day, 18 points, when a bucket by Skeens with just 6:50 remaining in the game made it 97-79.
     But you know what they say about poking Bears and how you're not supposed to do it?
     It was a lesson that Rio had to learn as Tech came off the mat to mount a furious comeback over the next three-plus minutes.
     The Golden Bears reeled off 14 consecutive points and, following a basket by Hedrich with 3:34 left, found themselves within 97-93.
     The last of five three-pointers from Tech's Valiyah Yazzie - with 2:01 remaining - got Tech as close as 99-96, but a free throw by Woods with 1:32 left and a running jumper by junior Lavender Ward (Charleston, WV) with 1:00 remaining allowed the RedStorm to escape.
     WVU-Tech went 0-for-4 from the floor over the final two minutes.
     The Golden Bears finished 33-for-69 overall (47.8%), 10-for-16 from three-point range (62.5%) and 20-for-28 at the foul line (71.4%).
     Yazzie led a quintet of double-digit scorers for the hosts with 21 points, going 6-for-9 overall and 5-for-5 from distance.
     Rylee Allie added 20 points before fouling out late, connecting on all three of her three-point tries as well, while Hedrich finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots.
     Ca'Vashia Johnson tallied 14 points and a team-high five assists for Tech, while Faith N. Silva - the club's leading scorer at 19.5 ppg coming in - was limited to 12.
     Rio Grande, which committed just six turnovers for the game, shot 45 percent overall (39-for-86), but went just 21-for-32 (65.6%) at the foul line.
     The RedStorm also outrebounded the Golden Bears, 54-36.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Tuesday night when Alice Lloyd College visits for another River States Conference contest.
     Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Newt Oliver Arena.