JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (11/14/2016) – Sophomore
Josh McFolley put on a long-range shooting clinic in the second half en route to a career-high 25 points, but it was not enough as East Tennessee State University downed the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team, 107-78, on Monday night at Freedom Hall.
McFolley hit seven 3-pointers in the game, including five in the second half where he posted 15 of his team-high 25 points. It was the most treys by a Titan in a game since Jon Goode '08 sank eight at UIC on Jan. 19, 2008.
Senior
Jarod Williams netted 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and senior
Chris Jenkins had nine points with a team-high five rebounds and five assists.
The Titans (1-1) trailed by 10 at the half, but were able to cut into that a few times in the second period. A three by McFolley had Detroit Mercy within six, 48-42, with 17:33 left. Later on, a layup by sophomore
Aaron Foster-Smith and Williams had the Titans down by just six again, 58-52, with 14:36 remaining.
ETSU (2-0) then went on a 26-10 run over the next six minutes to take control of the game and come away with the victory on its home court.
Freshman
Malik Eichler ended with six points and freshman
Corey Allen had five.
Detroit Mercy shot 41.9-percent for the game (26-of-62), and 54.5-percent from behind the arc (12-of-22).
It was a game of runs in the first half as ETSU scored the first seven points, but Detroit Mercy answered with a 17-8 spurt to jump ahead 17-15. The defense had a lot to do with it in that stretch as the Titans held the Buccaneers scoreless on five-straight possessions at one point, including forcing four turnovers in that span.
ETSU was able to withstand the Titan charge and take a four-point lead, 22-18, with 8:26 remaining in the first. A three by McFolley – who had 10 points in the first stanza – trimmed it to one, but the Bucs went on a 9-0 run after that to open a 31-21 advantage at the 6:03 mark. Baskets by Eichler and Allen would get the red, white and blue to five, 33-28, but ETSU was able to muster another offensive flurry to take a 10-point lead into the break, 43-33.
The Titans will continue their road swing by playing in the NIT Season Tip-Off starting with a trip to Illinois on Friday, Nov. 18. Game time is set for 8 p.m. (EST) at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois.
Game Notes:
This was the first career meeting between Detroit Mercy and East Tennessee State as well as any current member of the Southern Conference… The Titans have now dropped 16-straight true road openers with their last true road-opening win at Chicago State in 2000… Detroit Mercy is 8-7 all-time against schools from the state of Tennessee… Williams' career high in points is 18 against UIC in 2015… Detroit Mercy has made 24 triples in its first two games...
