Rio women hold off Buffaloes

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Kaylee Darnell scored 16 of her game-high 27 points in the first half, while Marlee Grinstead netted 18 of her career-high 20 points after the intermission to lead the 15th-ranked University of Rio Grande in an 86-77 victory over Milligan (Tenn.) University, Saturday afternoon, in non-conference women's basketball action at the Newt Oliver Arena.
     The homestanding RedStorm improved to 3-0 with the win.
     Milligan, an NAIA national tournament team last season and one of the schools receiving votes in the latest coaches' Top 25 poll, dropped to 1-3 as a result of the loss.
     The Buffaloes turned an eight-point first quarter deficit into a 37-36 halftime lead and went back-and-forth trading the advantage until a layup by Darnell - a senior from Wheelersburg, Ohio - with 3:49 remaining in the third period snapped a 52-all deadlock and put Rio Grande in front to stay.
     The RedStorm took a two-point cushion into the final stanza and eventually grabbed their largest advantage of the day, 80-70, after another Darnell layup with 2:09 left in the game, but Milligan still refused to go away quietly.
     A pair of free throws by McKenna Myers sliced the deficit to 81-75 and made it a two-possession game with 57 seconds remaining, but Rio Grande connected on five of six free throw attempts in the final 53 seconds to seal the victory.
     Darnell, who hit 10 of her 20 field goal attempts, also had six assists and five rebounds in the victory.
     In addition to her career-high scoring outburst, Grinstead also had seven rebounds, a career-best four blocked shots and three assists.
     Senior Azyiah Williams (Ripley, OH) added 10 points and freshman Jasmine Jordan (Ashland, KY) pulled down 12 rebounds for the RedStorm, who shot just under 48 percent overall (35-for-73) and 76.5 percent (13-for-17) at the foul line.
     Rio also enjoyed a 45-43 edge in rebounding.
     Jaycie Jenkins led Milligan with 25 points and Semaj Clark had 20, while Jenna Hare came off the bench to have 15 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
     Lina Lyon also had si assists for the Buffaloes, while Lauren Longmire had six rebounds and three steals.
     Milligan was 29-for-75 overall (38.7%), 11-for-31 from three-point range (35.5%) and 8-for-10 at the foul line (80.0%).
     Rio Grande returns to action next Saturday when it entertains Rochester Christian (Mich.) University.
     Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.