NEW ALBANY, Ind. – Four Grenadiers scored in double figures but it was not enough as the University of Rio Grande edged IU Southeast 82-80 on Saturday.
Hannah Coleman had 18 points and eight rebounds to lead IU Southeast. Emmy Ralph had a career-high 15 points and six rebounds and Lauren Lambdin and Madi Woods each had 11 points in the loss.
Rio Grande (12-7, 5-1 RSC) jumped out to an 11-4 lead early in the first quarter but the Grenadiers bounced back to take a 21-17 lead to the second quarter.
IU Southeast (11-7, 3-3 RSC) used a 15-8 run to take a 28-21 lead two minutes into the second quarter. Maddie Knight capped the run with a three-point field goal and a jumper on back-to-back possessions.
The RedStorm responded by using a 20-9 run to retake the lead. Rio Grande led 43-41 at halftime.
In the second half, IU Southeast opened the third quarter on a 15-5 run to take 56-48 lead. But another Rio Grande run resulted in the game tied at 60 to start the fourth quarter.
IU Southeast would not lead again. Rio Grande was led in the fourth quarter by Avery Harper who had 13 of her 20 points in the final period. She finished the game 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 from three-point range.
The Grenadiers trailed by as many as 10 in the fourth quarter. Lauren Lambdin cut the deficit to 77-74 when she connected on a three-pointer, but Chyna Chambers answered with a layup.
Ariana Sandefur completed a three-point play to cut the lead to 82-80 with 41 seconds to play. Reagan Willingham missed a three-point field goal from the corner but got her own rebound and was fouled by Lambdin with 12 seconds left. She missed both free throws and Ariana Sandefur's drive to the basket just rolled off the front of the rim with a tenth of a second left as the RedStorm escaped.
Lexi Woods had 25 points and nine rebounds to lead Rio Grande to go along with Harper's 20.
IU Southeast travels to IU Kokomo Tuesday at 5:30 p.m