Playing one final time before Christmas, Lourdes extended its winning streak to six consecutive games on Thursday with a 70-53 victory over Rio Grande inside of Newt Oliver Arena in Rio Grande, Ohio.
 
All six victories in the stretch have been by double figures as Gray Wolves conclude non-conference play a perfect 8-0 on the season.
 
"We started off slow, but we did a nice job of shooting the ball from both two and three-point range," head coach Dennis Hopson said afterwards.  "Our defense has to improve but we are getting better."
 
The Red Storm started quickly, building its largest lead of the day, 17-9, less than nine minutes into the contest.  Lourdes shot the ball well in the opening half though, connecting at a 55.6% clip over the first 20 minutes, and went on a run of its own to close the stanza.  Trailing by eight, Lourdes used a 24-6 spurt over the next eight minutes to build a double figure lead before taking an eight-point advantage, 36-28, at intermission.
 
Rio Grande opened the second half with a three-pointer to pull within five, but that would be as close as the Red Storm would get the rest of the way.  The Gray Wolves scored the next nine points, pushing the advantage to 14, 45-31, with 14:32 remaining. 
 
The Lourdes lead continued to grow throughout the second half, with a Jackie Harris (Toledo, Ohio/Saint Francis de Sales H.S.) draining a triple with just under 11 minutes to play to give the Gray Wolves a 20-point advantage, 55-35.  Rio Grande closed to within 14 with five minutes to play, but that would be as close as the Red Storm would get the rest of the way.  Back-to-back three-pointers by Harris and N'Keeley Elmore (Columbus, Ohio/Northland H.S.) pushed the Lourdes advantage back to 20 and the Gray Wolves were never threatened down the stretch.
 
Harris led the Gray Wolves with 22 points off the bench, matching his career high while notching his ninth consecutive double figure scoring game.  He connected on six three-pointers on the afternoon.  Nick Welch (Temperance, Mich./Saint Mary Catholic Central H.S.) registered his second consecutive double-double, and fourth of the year, with an 11-point, 14-rebound effort.
 
Joey Holifield (Toledo, Ohio/Cardinal Stritch H.S.) also scored 11 points while Charles Swain (Cincinnati, Ohio/North College Hill H.S.) added 10 more for his second consecutive double figure scoring effort.
 
Lourdes shot 53.7% from the floor, including a blistering 52.6% (10-of-19) from three-point range while committing just 10 turnovers.  Rio Grande committed just six miscues but was limited to just 34.4% shooting from the field, including just a 28.1% clip (9-of-32) from long range.
 
Shiloah Blevins led Rio Grande (6-8) with 13 points while Eythan House added 12 points for the Red Storm.
 
Lourdes (11-3) will have a week off before returning to the hardwood, and Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference action, next Thursday afternoon, as the Gray Wolves travel to Rochester Hills, Mich.  Tip-off against Rochester (Mich.) is set for 1 p.m. inside of Garth Pleasant Arena.