RedStorm holds on, tops Siena Heights

Rio Grande Sports Information
     SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - While the end result was the same as the day before, the path for getting there was a tad bit more difficult for the University of Rio Grande women's basketball team.
     The 15th-ranked RedStorm watched a nine-point halftime cushion transform into a six-point fourth quarter deficit before rallying down the stretch and holding on for an 85-82 triumph over Siena Heights (Mich.) University, Saturday evening, in the final day of the Blue Devils Classic hosted by Lawrence Tech University at Don Ridler Field House.
     Rio Grande, which posted a 26-point rout of the host team in Friday's opening round, improved to 2-0 with the win.
     Siena Heights saw its record dip to 1-1 as a result of the loss.
     The Saints found themselves staring at a 43-34 halftime deficit, but doubled up the RedStorm in the third quarter to open up a 59-55 lead heading into the final period.
     The SHU lead grew to six, 63-57, after Lauren DeWolf connected on a pair of free throw attempts with just over nine minutes remaining and still stood at five points, 67-62, after a layup by E'Anna Won with 7:51 left.
     That's when Rio Grande went into comeback mode.
     The RedStorm responded with an 8-0 run, capped by a three straight buckets by senior Kaylee Darnell (Wheelersburg, OH), to take a 70-67 advantage with 5:08 still to play.
Siena Heights twice got to within a point of forging a tie over the final five minutes, but never went back in front.
     Rio had taken an eight-point cushion, 81-73, after a pair of Darnell free throws with 2:04 remaining, but the Saints went on a 9-2 run and pulled as close as 83-82 after a Madison Vice three-pointer with 23 seconds left.
     Senior Azyiah Williams (Ripley, OH) drained two free throws with 12 seconds remaining to extend the lead to three points, while Vice misfired on another trifecta which would've tied things with two seconds left and settled the issue once and for all.
     Darnell led the RedStorm's winning effort with 22 points, while senior Lexi Woods (Waverly, OH) had 20 points and eight rebounds and freshman Jasmine Jordan (Ashland, KY) had 18 points and a game-best 13 rebounds.
     Williams narrowly missed double figures with nine points, while also finishing with a game-high six assists and three steals.
     Senior Marina Garcia Perez (Leon, Spain) also had three steals for Rio Grande, which survived 20 turnovers by shooting 48.4 percent overall (31-for-64) and 87.5 percent from the foul line (21-for-24).
     Siena Heights shot the ball well, going 28-for-62 overall (45.2%), 8-for-20 from distance (40.0%) and 18-for-19 at the charity stripe (94.7%).
     Brooke Rebman had a game-high 26 points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds, three assists and three steals in a losing cause for the Saints.
     Won (16 pts.), Vice (15 pts.) and DeWolf (14 pts.) also reached double figures for SHU. Won also had three assists.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Saturday afternoon when it hosts Milligan (Tenn.) University in the 2024-25 home opener at the Newt Oliver Arena.
     Tipoff is set for approximately 2:30 p.m., following the conclusion of the Rio men's game against Kent State-Tuscarawas, which is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.