Lourdes University's men's basketball team dropped their first home game of the season on Saturday afternoon as the Gray Wolves suffered a 63-50 setback to Northwestern Ohio at Tam-o-Shanter.
 
"They were definitely the better team," head coach Andre Smith said after the game.  "We were outplayed, outcoached, and outhustled all afternoon.  They got after loose balls, created a lot of second shot opportunities, and just had more energy all around.  We had too many mental mistakes against a talented team."
 
The Gray Wolves led early 9-7 before the Racers went on a 16-2 run in just over five minutes to build a 23-11 lead.  After Lourdes pulled to within eight, 23-15, Northwestern Ohio scored the next 13 points while holding the Gray Wolves scoreless for more than five-and-a-half minutes, before taking a 36-17 lead into the locker room.
 
Lourdes made a run, scoring 10 of the first 12 points to close to within 11 just over three minutes into the second half.  UNOH answered with an 11-3 spurt to push the lead back to 21 midway through the stanza as the Gray Wolves again went more than six minutes without a field goal.  Lourdes closed with a late 8-2 spurt to pull within 13, but that would be as close as the Gray Wolves would get the rest of the game.
 
Zach Steinmetz (Toledo, Ohio/Saint John's H.S.) led Lourdes with 15 points, making his first six field goal attempts of the game.  He also pulled down a team-high six rebounds.  E.J. Blackwell (Rochester, Pa./Rochester H.S.) added 13 points as the only other Gray Wolf to tally double figures, while Jake DuPree (Toledo, Ohio/Whiteford H.S.) tallied eight points and handed out six assists.
 
Josh Scott led Northwestern Ohio (11-5, 6-2 WHAC) with 14 points while Ed Jenkins added 10 more.  Lourdes committed 19 turnovers to offset 45.9% shooting from the floor while the Racers connected at a 42.9% clip but tallied 12 second chance points, converting 14 offensive rebounds.
 
Lourdes (9-7, 5-3) looks to snap its four-game losing streak on Wednesday evening as the Gray Wolves remain home to entertain Concordia (Mich.).  Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at Tam-o-Shanter.