Sports
RedStorm Drop Third Straight To Bluefield
By: Patrick Gifford
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Until Saturday night most consecutive games that the Rio Grande RedStorm (14-7, 3-6 MSC) women’s basketball game had lost this season had been two. That changed Saturday night when the RedStorm lost their third game in a row, falling 75-67 to the Bluefield College Rams (9-8, 4-5 in MSC) at the Dome Gymnasium in Bluefield, VA.
The RedStorm were held to their second-lowest scoring total of the season, scoring almost 23 points below its season average. Junior guard Brianna Thomas did the best she could to keep Rio close the entire night, as she scored 21 points, 11 coming from the free throw line.
Freshmen Brooke Marcum and Alexis Payne chipped in with 13 and 11 points respectively. Marcum scored 13 despite being in foul trouble the entire night. Just three players scored in double digits for the RedStorm, compared to the six they had in double-digits against Pikeville.
The back and forth contest saw Rio lead for just over 13 minutes of the game. The RedStorm last held the lead when they were up 57-56. From there, it was all Bluefield. The Rams closed out the game on a 19-10 run.
Rio’s low scoring totals again stemmed from its inability to hit outside shots. The RedStorm went 0-10 from beyond the arc. Rio Grande also shot just 37.7 percent from the field.
Bluefield was able to enjoy a much more balanced attack on the offensive end. Junior forwards Asia Wheeler and Monique Robson both scored a team-high 18 points. Wheeler also added four blocks and ten rebounds.
Rio Grande will look to end its three-game skid when it hosts the No. 6 Georgetown College Tigers on Jan. 30. The Tigers defeated the RedStorm 101-78 in their previous matchup on Jan. 5. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. from Newt Oliver Arena.