OMAHA, Neb. – Kyle Luedtke’s career-high 21 points wasn’t enough for the Mavericks to outlast the Cougars Tuesday night. SIUE took a 75-65 win at Baxter Arena for their third of the year.
Omaha now sits at 1-6 to start the season.
Leaders for Omaha
Luedtke led the game with 21 points. He was 6-of-9 from the field with three from long range. He also finished 6-of-9 from the line. Luedtke and Marco Smith each tallied a team-leading two assists.
Devin Evans grabbed a career-high six rebounds, while Luedtke, and Dylan Brougham added five each. Brougham recorded two blocks in the action.
Leaders for SIUE
Lamar Wright led four Cougars in double-figures with a 20. He also notched five boards and five blocks. Shaun Doss Jr. scored 15 points, while Ray’Sean Taylor missed the double-double with 13 points and a game-high nine boards.
Shamar Wright also scored 13 points for the Cougars. He was 5-of-8 from the field and added four rebounds, one block, and a steal.
Team Stats
Omaha shot 38.2 percent from the field after converting half its attempts in the second half. The Mavericks finished 10-of-22 from long range for 45.5 percent. Omaha’s bench dominated SIUE’s outscoring the Cougars, 44-20.
SIUE shot 46.9 percent from the field and hit seven three-pointers. The Cougars capitalized on Omaha’s 16 turnovers turning them into 21 points. They also held a 44-20 advantage in the paint and a 13-3 edge on fast break points.
Inside the First Half
Tuesday’s action started in favor of the Cougars with a 9-0 run to open the game. Felix Lemetti put Omaha on the board three minutes in with a jumper to snap the Cougar run. The Maverick offense struggled to connect as the shot just 30 percent in the first half allowing SIUE to jump out to a 31-point lead with 4:09 on the clock.
A three from Luedtke sparked seven straight points for Omaha. Darrius Hughes capped the run with back-to-back layups. Both teams traded free throws to end the half, and SIUE took a 49-25 lead into the halftime break.
Inside the Second Half
Luedtke opened the second with a layup 34 seconds into the action. SIUE responded an 11-2 run for another 31-point advantage. Evans hit a three with 13:28 on the clock that sparked a 21-0 run for Omaha. Luedtke and Lemetti also connected from the arc, while Frankie Fidler battled through the paint for a layup in the run helping the Mavericks get within eight of the Cougars.
SIUE extended their lead back to 13 points with 4:59 to play. Luedtke scored four straight points, while Nick Ferrarini netted a three cutting the lead down to six. It would be the closest the Mavericks got in the final minutes. Cougars win, 75-65.
Noting Tonight’s Game
-Today’s game was the first game played in Baxter Arena since February 2021. The Mavericks played one home game this season at Ralston Arena to start the year and their next five on the road before returning to Baxter.
-Luedtke’s 21 points was a new career-high. He surpassed the 16-point record set earlier this season at Kansas State.
-Omaha field goal percentage was the highest the Mavericks have shot since 42.4 percent at Ball State.
-The 10 made three-pointers marks the second time this year Omaha hit double-digit from the arc. The Mavericks knocked down 11 at K-State earlier this year.
Up Next
Omaha continues its home stand with Eastern Washington this Saturday. Tipoff is set for noon on Dec. 4. The Mavericks look to snap a six-game skid.
UNO Men fall to SIUE
