RIO GRANDE, Ohio — The IU Columbus Crimson Pride faced a challenging match-up on the road, falling to the University of Rio Grande RedStorm 99-62 at Newt Oliver Arena. The Crimson Pride fought valiantly but could not overcome Rio Grande's sharp offense and dominant rebounding.

The game started off at a fast pace, with Ben Sylva leading the charge for IU Columbus. Sylva showcased his scoring ability, finishing with a team-high 17 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. His efforts helped the Crimson Pride remain competitive in the early minutes of the first half. However, Rio Grande capitalized on their size and efficiency, pulling ahead 48-27 by halftime.

In the second half, the Crimson Pride worked hard to narrow the gap. Nathan Pickett provided a spark off the bench, knocking down three three-pointers en route to a 13-point performance. Owen Law contributed 12 points, including two key three-pointers that momentarily shifted momentum in IU Columbus' favor. Despite their efforts, the #25 RedStorm's depth and rebounding continued to be decisive.

Rio Grande's Jaylin Fox was a standout player, scoring 23 points and securing 10 rebounds off the bench. The RedStorm's control on the glass (50 rebounds compared to IU Columbus' 30) proved to be a crucial factor in their dominant performance.

While the result was not in their favor, the Crimson Pride showed glimpses of their potential. They shot an impressive 81.8% from the free-throw line (9-for-11) and displayed resilience in the face of adversity.

Their next two road games will be at Midway University (Ky.) on Thursday at 5:30 PM and at IU East on Saturday at 1:00 PM. Both games are River States Conference match-ups.