University of Evansville Athletics

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Game two of the 2026 exhibition season saw the University of Evansville men's basketball team fall to Southeast Missouri State by a final of 89-81 in overtime at the Ford Center.
 
UE trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half before rallying to take its first lead in the final five minutes of the second half. The Purple Aces held a 3-point lead with under 10 seconds remaining in regulation before SEMO sent the game to OT on a triple. In the extra period, the Redhawks led by as many as nine points before sealing the 8-point victory.
 
Makuei Riek led UE with 20 points on an 8-of-13 shooting effort. He added four boards and four assists. Bryce Quinet finished with 19 points and a game-high five assists. AJ Casey and Caden Symons posted nine points apiece. Marqueas Bell scored 22 points to lead the Redhawks.
 
SEMO opened the game on a 12-2 run converting four of their opening six attempts. Evansville opened the game 1-for-9 from the field before a triple from Bryce Quinet made it a 12-5 game. With the Redhawks up 18-7, UE scored the next four points with AJ Casey knocking down two free throws before Makuei Riek added a dunk to cut the deficit to seven.
 
Still up by seven (21-14) just past the midway point of the period, the Redhawks scored four in a row before capping an 11-4 stretch with a dunk to take their largest lead of 32-18 inside the 3-minute mark. Max Langenfeld's second 3-pointer along with a pair of Quinet free throws cut into the deficit in the final minutes to make it a 34-25 game at the break. SEMO shot 40.6% in the half while UE finished at 25.9%.
 
After completing the first half on a run, the Purple Aces continued to rally in the second half as a 10-2 stretch got UE back within a point at 36-35 with 17:18 remaining. UE converted three consecutive baskets. A triple by Riek opened the stretch while a Quinet triple made it a 1-point game. SEMO rebounded with five in a row to go back up by six just over a minute later. They would go back up by nine points (46-37) as the game approached its final 13 minutes.
 
Triples by Riek and Caden Symons quickly cut the deficit to four, however, consecutive baskets doubled the lead to eight before a layup reestablished the 10-point advantage at 56-46 with 10 minutes left. UE slowly chipped away at the SEMO lead. Trailing 68-61 with five minutes remaining, James Dyson-Merwe converted a layup. Following a Redhawk turnover Symons hit another triple that made it a 68-66 game.
 
Quinet knotted the game at 68-68 and following another SEMO turnover, a dunk by Riek gave UE its first lead at 70-68 with 3:11 on the clock. It marked a 9-0 run for the Aces. The Redhawks retook the lead on a 3-point play, but a Langenfeld triple quickly put UE back in front at 73-71. Luke Ellspermann picked up a pair of free throws that pushed the lead to 75-71 with 22 ticks remaining. The Redhawks cut the deficit in half on a pair of free throws and Dyson-Merwe knocked in one of his own to make it a 76-73 advantage for the Aces.
 
With just 2.8 seconds on the clock, Alonzo Clawson-Smith tied the game on a 3-pointer and gave UE a final opportunity in regulation where a 3-point try came up short to send the game to overtime. Fontaine Williams, Jr. knocked down a triple to open the extra period as the Redhawks would open an 87-79 lead in the final minute. They would finish the evening with an 89-81 victory. SEMO finished the game shooting 53.3% while UE checked in at 44.1%.