LATE RALLY SENDS IU SOUTHEAST PAST RIO GRANDE 70-69

RIO GRANDE, Ohio – IU Southeast scored the final seven points of the game to rally and defeat host Rio Grande 70-69 on Monday.

Ahmad Price had a season-high 29 points to lead IU Southeast. Glenn Hill had 14 points and nine rebounds, Anthony Wales Jr. had 12 points and Jared Osborne added 11 in the win.

The Grenadiers trailed 41-36 at halftime. IU Southeast led 24-19 before the RedStorm used an 11-4 run to retake the lead. The lead would stay within a possession for much of the half before Rio Grande closed the period on a 7-2 run to extend its lead to five. Caleb Wallis led all scorers with 13 points in the first half while Anthony Wales Jr. had 10 for the Grenadiers.

In the second half, a three-pointer by Khamani Smith extended the Rio Grande lead to 46-41 but a jumper by Price, a pair of Hill free throws and a layup by Price gave the Grenadiers the lead with 13:33 to play. 

Neither team could pull away for much of the second half until a three-pointer by Miki Tadic and a jumper by Wallis gave the RedStorm a 69-63 lead with 3:22 to play.

Price answered with a layup and a free throw by Jared Osborne cut the deficit to one possession. 

After the Grenadiers got a defensive stop, Jathan Ritter grabbed an offensive rebound and drove down the lane and got a layup to fall to cut the lead to one with 52.9 seconds left.

Ethan House missed a three-pointer on the ensuing RedStorm possession and Glenn Hill was fouled on the rebound to put him on the line with the one-and-one with 21 seconds left. He made both free throws to give the Grenadiers a 70-69 lead.

Miki Tadic missed a fadeaway jumper and the offensive rebound was grabbed by Exauce Manissa but his shot would not fall as time expired and the Grenadiers hung on for the win. 

There were nine lead changes in the contest. IU Southeast stayed in the game by hitting 17-of-18 free throws in the contest, including 15-straight to start the game.

IU Southeast forced 14 Rio Grande turnovers which led to 18 points in the contest.

Ahmad Price sparked the comeback for the Grenadiers with 20 of his 29 points coming in the second half. 

The Grenadiers host Point Park and Carlow on Friday and Saturday.