NAIA

[Men's Basketball] Top-ranked Bears devour RedStorm men

Rio Grande Sports Information    RIO GRANDE, Ohio – Last season, the University of Rio Grande men's basketball team made a November road trip to rival Shawnee State University and pulled off a surprise come-from-behind win over the Bears, who went on win the NAIA national championship.    In Friday night's rematch between the two teams as part of the 39th Annual Bevo Francis Invitational Tournament, any hopes of another upset victory by the RedStorm died in a pair of costly scoreless streaks.    Shawnee State, the nation's top-ranked team in the NAIA preseason coaches' poll, built a 13-point first half lead and continued to pull away over the course of the second half for an eventual 84-52 win at the Newt Oliver Arena.    The Bears won for the fourth time in as many outings this season.    Rio Grande dropped to 1-2 with the loss.