DETROIT (1/4/2016) -- Sophomore Paris Bass led four Titans in double figures with 28 points – tying his career high - as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team sank the Cleveland State Vikings, 88-80, on Monday night at Calihan Hall.

The win kept Detroit (8-5, 2-0 HL) perfect at home on the year at 8-0 as it has now won 11 in a row on Dick Vitale Court dating back to last season, the second-longest in the Horizon League. CSU fell to 5-10, 0-2 in the conference.

Bass had a great all-around game tallying his first double-double of the year and the fifth of his career with his 28 points and a season-best 13 rebounds to go with four steals, three blocks and two assists.

Senior Anton Wilson had 19 points, senior Carlton Brundidge had 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals and freshman Gerald Blackshear netted 10 markers with five boards. 

The game was tight throughout most of the contest as there were 10 ties and nine lead changes. Detroit found itself down two, 52-50, with about 16 minutes remaining when the Titans took command with a 13-2 spurt. 

Freshman Josh McFolley started the charge as he hooked up with Bass for an alley-oop for one of his season and game-high six assists. The dunk ignited the crowd and after a CSU turnover, Wilson knocked in a three for a 55-52 advantage. A Bass layup followed and then Wilson drained another trifecta for a 60-52 score. The Vikings halted that run briefly with a bucket, but back came Detroit as senior Matthew Grant found Bass, who hit a triple for a 63-54 lead with 12:01 remaining.

Cleveland State would try to get back in the game and eventually cut it to four, 71-67, with 6:33 left, but it was too much Bass as back-to-back baskets extended the margin to eight, 75-67. Two free throws from junior Chris Jenkins made it a nine-point game, 77-68, and two more free ones from the charity stripe gave the Titans their biggest lead of 11, 84-73, with 2:32 on the clock.

Detroit shot 45.8 percent from the field and went to the free throw line a season-high 42 times, converting 28 of them. UDM also forced 17 turnovers and had a 24-8 advantage in points off those turnovers as well as a 17-2 edge in fast-break points. 

The defense also held Cleveland State to 41.4 percent shooting in the second half.

The Vikings came out strong taking an 11-6 lead five minutes into the contest. A three by Brundidge and a layup from redshirt freshmen Aaron Foster-Smith tied it all up. CSU took another five-point lead, 18-13, when a three-point play by Blackshear and a bucket by Brundidge once again knotted it all up at 18-18 at the 12:03 mark.

Detroit was then down by two, 24-22, when the red, white and blue reeled off eight-straight markers. Bass started that with the old school three-point play and after a basket by Blackshear, Wilson connected on a trey for a 30-24 advantage with 8:32 left.

UDM also led by six at 34-28, but Cleveland State outscored the Titans 14-8 in the last 5:32 to even the contest at the break, 42-42.

Detroit shot 41.9 percent from the field and was 13-of-19 at the free throw line, while forcing 10 turnovers and scoring 15 points off those CSU miscues. 

The Titans will now get ready for UIC as Detroit hosts the Flames on Friday, Jan. 8. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m., on Dick Vitale Court and will be televised live on ESPNU. 

Game Notes:
Detroit now leads the series, 39-22, and are 25-4 when the game is in the Motor City… The Titans are now 2-0 in the Horizon League for the first time since 2012-13… Detroit is now 5-0 against teams from Ohio this season… UDM has scored at least 88 points seven times this year… It was the ninth time this year that the Titans have had four or more players in double figures… The Titans have recorded four or more blocks nine times already… The 42 free throws were the most by the Titans since they were 37-of-43 against Stony Brook in 2013… The 28 made free throws were the second-most on the year behind the 29 against UM-Dearborn… Bass' other 28-point game was at Oakland last season, and he now has four career 20-point games… Wilson passed Michael Jackson '95 to move to sixth in Titan history with 158 career triples, 11 behind Greg Grays' 02… McFolley's previous career high in assists was four at Western Kentucky… Brundidge was in double figures for the first time since netting 12 against Bowling Green, a span of five games…