No. 20 RedStorm buffaloes Milligan

Rio Grande Sports Information
     MILLIGAN, Tenn. - Payton Johnson and Marina Garcia Perez scored 20 points each to lead five double-digit scorers for the University of Rio Grande in a 95-75 win over Milligan University, Saturday afternoon, in non-conference women's basketball action at Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
     The RedStorm, ranked No. 20 in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches' poll, improved to 4-0 with the victory.
     Milligan dropped to 2-4 with the loss.
     Johnson, a sophomore from Peebles, Ohio, also had a team-high eight rebounds, while Garcia Perez - a senior from Leon, Spain - had a game-high eight assists.
     Senior Marlee Grinstead (Albany, OH) had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while junior Sophia Kline (Sugar Grove, OH) and sophomore Josie Graves (Barboursville, WV) had 10 points each.
     Kline equaled Johnson with eight rebounds and Graves yanked down seven carems of her own.
     Rio led 19-18 at the close of the opening stanza, but trailed by as many as three points in the second period before taking a 45-34 advantage at the break.
     The RedStorm extended their cushion to 13 points by the close of the third period and to as many as 22 points inside the game's final minute.
     Rio Grande shot 53.5 percent overall (38-for-71), including 9-for-19 from distance (47.4%), while going 10-for-12 at the foul line (83.3%).
     The RedStorm also outrebounded their hosts, 39-38.
     Milligan was 31-for-72 overall (43.1%), but went just 7-for-13 at the foul line (53.8%).
     Lina Lyon had 18 points, four assists and a pair of steals for the Buffaloes, while Semaj Clark had 17 points and four assists and Makenzie Bremer finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.
     Naomi Atchley also had 11 points in a losing cause.
     Rio Grande is back in action on Friday when it hosts No. 25 Governors State (Ill.) in the opening round of the Bevo Francis Classic at the Newt Oliver Arena.
     Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.