Rio Grande earns big win over WVU Tech in #RSCgotw Women's Basketball
By Rio Grande Sports Information
MONTGOMERY, W.Va. - Sharday Baines had 19 points and six assists, while Jaida Carter added 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals to help the University of Rio Grande to an 82-74 win over WVU Tech, Saturday afternoon, in the River States Conference Women's Basketball Game of the Week at the Baisi Athletic Center.
The RedStorm won for a third straight time, improving to 17-9 overall and 8-5 in conference play, while also avenging a 14-point loss at home to the Golden Bears last month.
WVU Tech slipped to 16-9 and 8-5 in the RSC with a second consecutive loss.
As a result of the victory, Rio Grande moved into a tie with the Golden Bears for third place in the RSC East Division. Both teams are one-half game behind Ohio Christian University for second place, with the top four teams in the division advancing to post-season play later this month.
The RedStorm also got 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds from Jasmine Smith in the winning effort, while reigning RSC Player of the Week Brooke Marcum tossed in 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds.
Rio Grande scored 12 of the game's first 13 points, but Tech closed the gap to 14-13 by the end of the opening stanza and eventually grabbed a 17-16 lead after a pair of free throws by Cheyanna Lusk with 7:46 left in the first half.
The Golden Bears extended their advantage to as many as four points, 22-18, just 44 seconds later following a conventional three-point play by Brooke Gee, but Rio rebounded and regained the lead, 26-25, after Carter hit one of two free throw attempts with 3:35 remaining before the intermission.
It was a lead the RedStorm never relinquished.
Tech trailed by two at halftime and was within one point on six different occasions in the third period, including 48-47 after a bucket by Lusk with 15 seconds left in the quarter.
However, Carter beat the buzzer with a basket on Rio's ensuing possession which gave the RedStorm a three-point lead at the close of the quarter and kickstarted what became a 12-0 run and an eventual 13-point cushion, 60-47, following a runner in the lane by Carter with 7:13 left in the contest.
The Golden Bears twice closed the gap to six points inside the final 4-1/2 minutes, including 80-74 following a three-pointer by Lusk with 7.2 seconds left, but could get no closer.
Rio Grande survived 26 turnovers by outshooting its host (53.7%-36.5%) and outrebounding the Bears, 46-26.
Lusk led WVU Tech with a game-high 27 points, seven assists and four steals to go along with a team-best seven rebounds. Zjhane West added 16 points, six rebounds and four steals in a losing cause for the Golden Bears.
Rio Grande returns to action on Tuesday night, hosting No. 21 Indiana University East in a 6 p.m. tipoff at the Newt Oliver Arena. WVU Tech also plays on Tuesday at 6 p.m. when it travels to Ohio Christian.