SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College extended its winning streak to five games with a 71-63 victory over Rio Grande (Ohio) on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 1) at the Knoerle Center. The Pomeroys improved to 19-3 overall and 9-1 in River States Conference play, maintaining their lead in the RSC Western Division.
SMWC was led by
Shon Tupuola, who tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 8-of-12 from the field.
Greg Jenkins added 17 points, including a 5-of-6 performance at the free-throw line, while
Greg Johnson contributed eight points and three assists.
Taeron Hogg tossed in 10 points and hit a total of eight free throws down the stretch in the victory.
Despite shooting just 39.7% from the field and a cold 15.4% from beyond the arc, the Pomeroys' ability to capitalize on free throws (23-of-26, 88.5%) proved crucial. SMWC also dominated in the paint, outscoring Rio Grande 36-22, and recorded 11 second-chance points.
Leading 36-29 to start the second half, SMWC quickly pushed the lead back to nine after
Greg Jenkins made a layup to open the half. Rio Grande answered with an Eric Butler fastbreak layup, but SMWC's
Caleb Iheukwu responded with a quick layup, pushing the lead to 38-31.
The RedStorm stayed close, with Butler hitting a 3-pointer to cut the Pomeroys' lead to just one point at 44-43 with 12:39 remaining. But SMWC showed its resilience, as
Shon Tupuola's dunk and Jenkins' jumper helped the Pomeroys reclaim a five-point lead, 50-45, at the 9:35 mark.
A crucial 3-pointer by Butler tied the game at 53 with just over seven minutes left, but SMWC responded with a dunk from Tupuola and a pair of free throws by Jenkins to take control. As the clock wound down, Jenkins' and
Taeron Hogg's free-throw shooting solidified the Pomeroys' advantage, and a final dunk by Tupuola sealed the win with just seconds remaining.
The RedStorm (16-6, 7-3 RSC) were led by Eric Butler, who posted 16 points and 6 rebounds, and Trey Robertson, who added 13 points. Rio Grande struggled from long range, making just 9-of-18 attempts (50%) from beyond the arc.
The game was never tied, and the Pomeroys' largest lead reached 11 points. Rio Grande's second-half surge, which included shooting 51.85% from the field, wasn't enough to overcome SMWC's strong defense and free-throw efficiency.
SMWC will look to extend their win streak when they host Brescia (Ky.) on Tuesday, February 4, at 5:30 p.m. ET.
