CALGARY — Ryan Luke has been one of the most efficient shooters in the country early in the season, and he helped the Winnipeg Wesmen stay undefeated Saturday night.

Luke, a junior forward on the Wesmen men's basketball team, scored a career-high 22 points on 67 per cent shooting and the Wesmen won a gritty 62-52 Canada West conference game over the Mount Royal Cougars.

The Wesmen improved to 3-0 and will return to Winnipeg for their home-opening weekend against MacEwan Friday and Saturday. 

Luke made 10 of 15 from the field and continued his play as one of the most effective in U Sports from the floor through three games. Luke has made 20 of 29 from the field (69 per cent) and has made half of his threes so far as well. 

The Wesmen posted their lowest point total in a win since they scored a 58-51 win over UBC-Okanagan, Dec. 2, 2012. The Wesmen also made just two of 15 from three, Winnipeg's fewest threes made in a win since going 2 of 19 in a victory over MacEwan, Nov. 26, 2022.

But Winnipeg's defence also got it done: The Cougars were held to 2-for-22 from three and shot 31.3 per cent from the field as they fell to 4-2. 

Luke also grabbed eight rebounds and was 2-for-3 from three. Lamar Everd added 14 points and seven rebounds, and Donald Stewart had nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds. 

The Wesmen broke out with a 17-8 first quarter and held MRU to 4-for-15 shooting in that first 10 minutes, but followed it with a 4 of 16 shooting performance in the second quarter as the Cougars used a 12-0 run and had the score level at 26 going into half. 

After falling behind by one early in the third, the Wesmen tore off a 10-1 run to go ahead 43-35 and stretched that lead into double digits in the fourth. 

Keivonte Watts had a game-high 29 points — the third most points scored in a game in the conference this season — to lead the Cougars. No other MRU player was in double figure.