RIO GRANDE, Ohio — Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College men's basketball stayed within striking distance for much of the afternoon, but a second-half surge by Rio Grande proved decisive as the RedStorm pulled away for a 79–68 victory Saturday afternoon at Newt Oliver Arena.

The Pomeroys carried early momentum into the locker room, shooting 61.5 percent from the field in the opening half to force a 38–38 tie at the break. SMWC led by as many as six midway through the first half and consistently attacked the paint, finishing with 38 points inside for the game.

Ellis Todd led all scorers with a game-high 24 points, logging 38 minutes while shooting 10-of-22 from the floor. Quamar Hobbs added 13 points on an efficient 5-of-9 shooting performance. DeYon Bell controlled the glass with a team-high nine rebounds to go along with eight points, while Mike Ajukwa and Malachi Pearson each contributed six.

Rio Grande found its rhythm after halftime, outscoring Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College 41–30 in the second half. Delon McCloud paced the RedStorm with 23 points, including five three-pointers, while Jaelin Johnson and Trey Robertson added 12 points apiece. Rio Grande shot 50 percent from beyond the arc in the second half to create separation in the final 10 minutes.

The Pomeroys finished the contest shooting 52.7 percent from the field and limited turnovers to 11, but went scoreless from three-point range in the second half as Rio Grande extended its advantage late.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (10–12, 4–6 RSC) returns to River States Conference action on Tuesday, February 3, traveling to IU Southeast for a 6 p.m. (ET) tipoff.