Marquel Sutton had the game of his life, but he was more interested in what it meant for his team.
The senior forward poured in a career-high 36 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, leading Omaha to an eight-point win over South Dakota on Saturday. But this was bigger than just another victory — it secured the Mavericks’ first-ever Summit League regular-season title, a milestone moment for a program that had never finished atop the standings since joining Division I in 2011-12.
And it happened in front of a record home crowd of 4,283, the largest for a non-kids day game in school history.
For a team picked second-to-last in the preseason poll, Omaha’s rise has been anything but expected. But under third-year coach Chris Crutchfield, the Mavericks have embraced the underdog role.
“It was a great experience, especially knowing where we came from,” Sutton said. “We were at the bottom of the Summit League for the last two years. People picked us almost last this year. To go out there and prove people wrong and have fans by our side, it was really big.”
Crutchfield inherited a program coming off back-to-back five-win seasons when the program hired him as its head coach in 2022. The Mavericks posted nine wins and finished last in the conference standings in 2022-23. They showed gradual improvement, posting a 15-18 overall record and finishing sixth in the Summit League last year.
Heading into this season, expectations for the Mavericks were low. A voting panel of the conference’s nine head coaches, sports information directors and select media members projected them to finish eighth in the nine-team conference, just one point ahead of Denver.
Despite the outside doubts, the Mavericks believed in themselves. Instead of letting the low expectations define them, they used it as fuel to prove the skeptics wrong.
“In our group chat, one of our coaches sent it to us,” Sutton said. “We wanted to go out there and prove people wrong, and that is what we have done so far.”
Throughout the last three years, Sutton has played a key role in the program’s rise. He was part of Crutchfield’s initial recruiting class, transferring from the junior college ranks.
Sutton has started every game with the Mavericks over the last three years. He has improved his points and rebounds per game each year as he has gained confidence and a larger role in the offense.
Sutton averaged 10.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 2022-23. He then averaged 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest last season. After leading scorer Frankie Fidler transferred to Michigan State in the offseason, Sutton seized the opportunity to step into the team’s go-to scorer role.
This season, Sutton is averaging 18.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game. With the trust of his coaches and teammates, Sutton recognized the need to be more aggressive to help Omaha stay competitive.
“My teammates and coaches always knew I was a dog,” Sutton said. “I appreciate that, and I wouldn’t be where I’m at if it wasn’t for them.”
On Saturday, Omaha closes out the regular season at home against Oral Roberts, a night that will double as Senior Night for the Mavericks. Among those honored is Sutton, whose impact on the program has been undeniable. Due to a recent NCAA Division I Board of Directors ruling granting an additional year of eligibility to student-athletes who previously competed at non-NCAA schools, Sutton could return for another season.
For now, though, that decision can wait. Sutton speaks highly of his time at Omaha, crediting Crutchfield for his development on and off the court. But right now, there’s only one thing on his mind — winning the Summit League tournament and delivering the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament bid.
“We just can’t get too happy or big-headed,” Sutton said. “We have to just stay hungry. We have to go out there and hunt. The regular-season conference title is good and all, but the end goal is to get to March Madness. That’s what we are looking to do.”
