RedStorm lose at WVU Tech

Montgomery, W.Va. --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm men's basketball team dropped an 88-70 decision on the road at West Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon in Mid-South Conference action. 

Rio Grande (5-16, 0-10 MSC) stayed close early, but was never able to get the lead. 

Senior guard Doug Campbell (Salisbury, NC) had a red-hot first half shooting the basketball as he kept the RedStorm within striking distance for most of the first half.  Campbell scored 16 of his game-high, 29 points in the opening period. 

Leading 25-22, WVU Tech (8-11, 4-6 MSC) went on a 14-3 run to gain control of the game, pushing the margin to 14 points at 39-25. 

The Golden Bears would take a 47-34 lead to halftime.

Rio would get back to within eight points at 51-43 in the second half, but would get no closer than that.

WVU Tech would get the lead to as high as 26 points (86-60) in the second half. 

Junior guard Brad Cubbie (Dayton, OH) joined Campbell in double figures for Rio Grande as he scored 10 points.  Junior forward Shaun Gunnell (Columbus, OH) nearly reached double figures, adding nine points and pulling down seven rebounds.  Senior center Robbie Jackson (Aberdeen, MD) topped the rebounding chart for the RedStorm with nine.

WVU Tech placed four players in double figures with Josh Arnold leading the way with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. Arnold also handed out seven assists.  Donald Robinson and Rahshon Tabb each added 16 points and Nicholas Kjaerholt tossed in 13 points. 

Turnovers were a huge key in the game as Rio coughed up possession 22 times while WVU Tech had 15 miscues.

"I thought in the first half, we didn't do a very good job of taking care of the ball in the post, our post players had a lot of turnovers," said Rio Grande head coach Ken French.  "That hurt us in the first half.  We did a decent job in the first half of being aggressive and getting to the free-throw line, but then we go 6-for-13."

"That's really why they had a 13-point lead at the half," French added.  "We come out of the half a little bit slow, then we pick it up, we make a run and cut it to eight (points) and then they hit back-to-back three's and when they hit those back-to-back three's we shut it down." 

Rio Grande will be back in action on Thursday (Feb. 3) with a road game at Campbellsville.  Rio lost to Campbellsville at home, 66-54 on December 16.  Cubbie led Rio with 12 points in that game. 

Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.  Stretch Internet and iHigh.com will have play-by-play coverage.