University of Evansville Athletics

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Three players scored in double figures on Thursday evening as the University of Evansville men's basketball team completed its exhibition slate with a 73-41 win over Wabash at the Ford Center.
 
Makuei Riek led the Purple Aces with 13 points with three triples. Caden Symons posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Junior Kemm finished with 11 points. James Dyson-Merwe had eight points and nine caroms while Bryce Quinet scored eight points.
 
Dyson-Merwe grabbed an offensive board and scored on the opening possession of the game. The Little Giants countered with an 8-0 run including a pair of 3-pointers that set them up with an 8-2 lead at the 17:41 mark. Evansville responded with nine in a row to take its first lead at 11-8. UE converted three field goals in a row including a triple by Makuei Riek.
 
Another 3-pointer by Riek made it a 16-11 game with just under 15 minutes left in the period. Wabash scored the next four points to get back within one before Evansville had another big run, scoring 12 consecutive points to go up 28-15 with seven minutes left in the half. Caden Symons had it going scoring nine of those points. The defense held the Little Giants to eight consecutive missed field goal tries.
 
A quick spurt by Wabash saw them get back within eight points at 28-20 before the Aces took their largest lead at 35-20 inside of two minutes remaining. Wabash scored the final basket to make it a 35-22 game at the break. Symons led all players with nine first half points while Dyson-Merwe and Bryce Quinet had eight in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Triples from AJ Casey, Symons, and Riek saw UE open a 48-23 advantage in the opening five minutes of the second half. Evansville led by as many as 32 points, which would be the final deficit in the 73-41 win. Jake Genschaw saw the floor for the first time in the final minutes and scored five points.
 
Evansville shot 51.9% on the night while holding Wabash to 25.0%. UE also had a 41-31 rebounding advantage. Colton Stowers was the top scorer for the Little Giants with eight points.
 
UE opens the regular season on Monday night against IU Kokomo at 7 p.m. inside the Ford Center.