RedStorm women drop Wolves, stay perfect in RSC

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RICHMOND, Ind. - Few have been the times that University of Rio Grande women's basketball head coach David Smalley has had to burn an early timeout to right the direction of his team.
     The veteran bench boss had to do just that during his team's meeting with Indiana University East after the host Red Wolves jumped to a 9-2 lead just under 2-1/2 minutes into the game.
     The break in the action proved to have the desired affect that Smalley was seeking.
     The 17th-ranked RedStorm forged a tie by the close of the opening period and then pulled away over the following two stanzas en route to a 92-76 triumph in River States Conference action at the Student Activities and Events Center's Lingle Court.
     Rio Grande won for a seventh consecutive time, improving to 18-4 overall and 11-0 in league play.
     IU East lost for a fifth straight time, falling to 8-12 overall and 3-7 in the RSC.
     Thanks to their fast start, the Red Wolves led for most of the opening quarter and maintained a 21-16 advantage after a three-pointer by Taylor Farris with 2:06 left in the period.
     Rio Grande closed the quarter on a 5-0 run, though, knotting the score at 21-21, but a conventional three-point play by Farris sent the hosts back in front, 24-23, with 9:29 remaining in the first half.
     The RedStorm responded with an 8-0 run to grab the lead back and was never headed again.
     Rio Grande built a 10-point cushion late in the half before settling on an eight-point lead at the intermission, 43-35.
     The RedStorm scored 11 of the first 13 points after the break for a 17-point lead and pushed their advantage to as many as 22 points at three separate stages in the third period.
     IU East did manage to shave the deficit to 13 points on three occasions in the final stanza - the last of which came at 84-71 after a pair of free throws by Davina Smith with 3:53 left to play - but the Red Wolves got no closer the rest of the way.
     Senior Reagan Willingham (Ashville, OH) hit five of Rio's six three-pointers as team and led all scorers with 21 points.
     Four others finished in double figures for the RedStorm, who shot 47 percent overall (35-for-74) and 84 percent at the free throw line (16-for-19).
     Junior Kaylee Darnell (Wheelersburg, OH) scored 16 points to go along with six rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a blocked shot, while juniors Lexi Woods (Waverly, OH) and Harlei Antritt (Newark, OH) netted 14 points each. Woods also had a game-high 12 rebounds, helping Rio to a 47-34 edge in the category.
     Senior Aleea Crites (Parkersburg, WV) had 10 points of her own, in addition to seven rebounds and a game-best four blocked shots.
     Junior Azyiah Williams (Ripley, OH) also had eight assists for the RedStorm, who committed just seven turnovers.
     IUE shot just 39 percent overall (25-for-64), although it did connect on nine three-pointers and finished 17-for-18 at the free throw line.
     Smith finished with a team-best 16 points for the Red Wolves, while Farris tallied 12 points, nine assists, two steals and a pair of blocked shots.
     Kennedy Griffin contributed 14 points and shared team-high honors with Peyton Wells in rebounding with five. Gracie Kramer also had six assists and Caitlyn McEldowney had two steals of her own.
     Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action next Saturday when it hosts rival Shawnee State University at the Newt Oliver Arena.
     Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.