MONTGOMERY, West Virginia - Led by four players in double figures the WVU Tech women's basketball team defeated the University of Rio Grande in game five of the Neal D. Baisi Classic 77-75 Saturday evening. With the victory, Tech increases their win streak to four and improves its record to 5-3 this season. The loss drops the RedStorm to 4-2 in 2014.
The team was paced by junior guard
Cheyanne Lusk, who scored a game-high 19 points. Lusk was a perfect 3-for-3 from the foul line and 7-for-16 (43.7 percent) from the field. The junior also produced a game-high five assists while pulling down four rebounds and grabbing one steal.
Joining Lusk as Tech's leading scorers were junior guard
LaKisha Adkins (13 points), freshman forward
Rocio Ruiz-Berdejo (13 points) and sophomore guard
Keymonisha Dudley (10 points). Ruiz-Berdejo, who marked her second consecutive double-double and third of the season, shot 5-for-7 from the field and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.
Making a difference underneath the basket, senior center
Roche Wimberly recorded six rebounds, a block and an assist. Senior guard
Noelani Woodson went 2-for-2 from three-point range while adding three assists, two steals and a rebound.
In a game which featured 12 lead changes and two ties, the Golden Bears held advantages over Rio Grande in points off turnovers (19-18), bench points (33-25), assists (17-15), turnovers forced (18-16) and steals (10-7).
The RedStorm were led by Brianna Thomas' 19 points.
WVU Tech athletic director Kenny Howell and Neal D. Baisi's grandson, Patrick Baisi, presented all-tournament and Academic Excellence Awards to finish out the Baisi Classic. For the women's team Ruiz-Berdejo was recognized for the all-tournament team, senior
Nia Nolan received the Academic Excellence Award and Lusk earned tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Tech will next host Davis & Elkins College 1:00 p.m. for Kids' Day Tuesday in Montgomery, West Virginia at the Baisi Athletic Center.
