Rio exacts revenge on Bears, captures RSC tourney title

Rio Grande Sports Information
     PORTSMOUTH, Ohio - The team that made its bones all season with a high octane offensive attack showed that it could play a little defense, too.
     The University of Rio Grande limited Shawnee State University to a season-low 29 percent shooting and the RedStorm avenged a pair of regular season losses with a 60-51 win over the rival Bears, Tuesday night, in the title game of the River States Conference Women's Basketball Championship at Waller Gymnasium.
     Rio Grande, the No. 2 seed from the East Division, improved to 26-5 with a sixth straight victory and captured its fourth straight RSC Tournament in the process.
     Shawnee State, the No. 1 seed from the East Division and the league's overall regular season champion, had a 20-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 27-4 with the loss.
     Both teams will advance to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round - the Bears as the regular season champion and Rio as the tourney titlist - and will learn their game sites and opponent identities during the NAIA Women's Basketball Championship Selection Show on Thursday, at 7 p.m., on the NAIA's You Tube channel.
     Shawnee's 51 points equaled a previous season-low in a 56-51 loss at Lindsey Wilson on Dec. 13.
     The 29 percent shooting figure (18-for-62) eclipsed the previous season-low of 29.1 percent (16-for-55) in the same loss to Lindsey Wilson.
     For Rio Grande, the 51 points allowed represented the fewest in a game since a 116-44 rout of Union (Ky.) College on Nov. 5, 2023.
     The RedStorm, who entered the game among the nation's leaders in scoring at 91.3 points per game, recorded its lowest scoring total in a victory since a 58-45 win at home against Ohio Christian University on Feb. 2, 2016.
     Rio Grande enjoyed a three-point lead at the close of the opening quarter, but trailed 26-25 at halftime.
     There were five ties and a trio of lead changes over the first 9:58 of the third quarter before the RedStorm went in front to stay, 45-43, on a layup by senior Kaylee Darnell (Wheelersburg, OH).
     Shawnee State never managed to catch up from that point on, going just 3-for-17 from the floor (17.6%) and scoring only eight points in the fourth quarter - half of which came in the game's final 28.9 seconds.
     Rio's biggest lead of the night was nine points, 56-47, after Darnell hit one of two free throw attempts with 36.7 seconds left to play.
     Included in the Bears' shooting woes, was a 1-for-6 performance from three-point range and a 14-for-23 performance (60.9%)from the free throw line.
     Rio Grande shot just 39 percent itself (22-for-56), including 1-for-10 from distance.
     The RedStorm also hit just 15 of their 24 free throw chances (62.5%), but did outrebound the Bears, 48-39.
     Darnell finished with a game-high 21 points, 13 of which came in the second half. She also had two steals.
     Freshman Jasmine Jordan (Ashland, Ky.) had 12 points and a game-best 19 rebounds, while senior Harlei Antritt (Newark, OH) had 11 points and senior Marina Garcia Perez (Leon, Spain) handed out nine assists.
     Miyoshi Ellis had 17 points to pace Shawnee State, while Jonilyah Chambers 13 points and Cianna Gloster tallied 10 points, 14 rebounds, five steals and three blocked shots.