Late surge sends Rio men past No. 9 Patriots

Rio Grande Sports Information
     WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. - Perhaps nationally-ranked NAIA teams with the University of Rio Grande on their schedule should take note - don't play the RedStorm on your home court.
     For the second time this season, head coach Ryan Arrowood's squad made a plea for widespread respect by rallying late for an 83-78 win over 9th-ranked University of the Cumberlands, Saturday afternoon, in non-conference men's basketball action at the O. Wayne Rollins Center.
     Rio Grande improved to 8-1 with an eight consecutive victory and its second road win over a Top 10 team this season after posting a triumph at then-No. 8 and defending national champion Grace (Ind.) College on Nov. 2.
     School athletic officials are scouring the record books to see when was the last time - or if it's ever happened - that the men's basketball program has beaten two Top 10 teams on the road in the same season.
     The Patriots, who suffered their first home loss of the season, slipped to 9-4 with the loss - their fifth setback in the last seven meetings with the RedStorm dating back to 2013.
     Outside of four occasions when the game was tied, Cumberlands led from the outset - including by as many as 13 points with just under eight minutes left in the opening half and by as many as nine points with just over nine minutes remaining - until a layup by redshirt junior Jaelin Johnson (Fairmont, WV) with 4:21 showing on the clock gave Rio a 67-65 advantage.
     Two more ties and a pair of lead changes followed until a jumper by senior Eythan House (Montrose, Australia) with 1:33 remaining made it 76-74 and gave the RedStorm a lead that they would relinquish.
     Rio Grande maintained its edge by hitting its only field goal attempt and going 5-for-5 at the foul line over the final 34 seconds.
     Senior Eric Butler (Orlando, FL) led a trio of double-digit scorers for Rio with 23 points, while junior Trey Robertson (Waverly, OH) had 21 points, six assists and three steals and Johnson netted 19 points.
     Junior Keylane Lasisi (Paris, France) had 10 rebounds for the RedStorm, who shot just under 43 percent from the field (30-for-70) and just over 88 percent at the charity stripe (15-for-17).
     Rio also enjoyed a 39-30 edge in rebounding.
     Anthony Johnson had a game-best 29 points in the loss for the Patriots, while DJ Jones finished with 14, Robertas Jonaitis tossed in 12 and Matthew Cromer had 10.
     Jonaitis also had eight rebounds and three blocked shots, while Johnson had three assists and Cromer had three steals.
     UC shot just over 45 percent overall (28-for-62) and was 16-for-22 at the foul line (72.7%).
     Rio Grande is slated to return to action on Wednesday when it opens River States Conference play at Midway University.
     Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at Marshall Gymnasium in Midway, Ky.