MIDWAY, Ky. - For an offense that does everything at a high level except make 3-pointers, its was only fitting that a long-range shot ultimately helped No. 8-ranked Rio Grande (Ohio) thwart off a Midway upset attempt Wednesday.

Kaylee Darnell finished with 29 points, none more impactful than her tie-breaking 3-pointer with 4:26 to go in the fourth quarter, as the Red Storm pulled away for an 86-74 win over Midway in each team's River States Conference women's basketball opener.

The Red Storm entered the night second in the nation in scoring but just 209th in made 3s and were their usual, highly efficient selves in the first half, leading by as many as 16 points.

But after cutting the deficit to 44-33 at the break, Midway played like the better team for roughly a quarter-and-a-half, even putting together an 8-0 run to get within 59-54 late in the third quarter.

The upset threat got all the more real in the opening 2:49 of the fourth quarter. The Eagle defense forced four turnovers in that time an opened up another 8-0 run, taking a 64-61 lead after A'Lyrica Hughes and Atlantis White scored consecutive layups off of steals.

Rio Grande responded with an 8-0 run of its own, but Midway countered with five-consecutive points by Jermyra Christian, the last three coming off an old-fashioned 3-point play to tie the game at 69.

The plays highlighted a career-high 25-point night for Christian, who also had a team-high seven rebounds and tied Hughes for a team-best three steals. She shot 9-of-14 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line.

Unfortunately, her night also included foul trouble. On the possession following Darnell's 3-pointer, one of just three the Red Storm made on 14 attempts, Christian was disqualified after being called for an over-the-back foul on a rebound attempt, her fifth of the night.

Harlei Antritt proceeded to make two free throws on the other end and the lead soon ballooned to double-digits as short-handed Midway was unable to complete the upset attempt.

Christian wasn't the only guard to have a career-high scoring night, as White scored 18 off the bench on 8-of-13 shooting. Freshman Kiera Couch also gave the second-unit a nice pop with 12 points, while Hughes and Trinity Johnson added six rebounds apiece for 5-5 Midway.

The Eagles will close out 2024 with a pair of non-conference home games, starting with a 1 p.m. matchup against in-state Pikeville on Dec. 17. The RSC slate will kick into high gear starting with a Jan. 4 home game against Indiana East.