MURRAY, Ky. (12/3/2016) -- Sophomore Josh McFolley led four Titans in double figures with 17 points, but the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team came up on the short end of an 86-76 contest at Murray State on Saturday night.

The game featured nine ties and 12 lead changes. 

McFolley was 5-of-10 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers and a perfect 5-of-5 effort at the free-throw line. Junior Jaleel Hogan tallied 16 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Corey Allen posted 16 points and tied his season highs with five boards and two assists, and senior Chris Jenkins added 10 points and six caroms. 

The Titans (1-7) had a five-point lead early in the second half at 43-38 and 45-40, but a 13-3 spurt by Murray State (4-4) put the Racers ahead, 53-48, with 11:31 left in the game. 

Detroit Mercy pulled within three on a few occasions in the next two minutes, the latest at 57-54 after Hogan hit a pair from the charity stripe with 9:48 remaining, but the Racers were able to extend the lead to double digits. 

The Titans had one final charge in them down 72-61 with 6:11 left. The red, white and blue ran off seven-straight points with five free throws and a layup from Hogan off a great pass from Jenkins, and it was a 72-68 contest with four minutes on the scoreboard. 

Detroit Mercy shot 47.4-percent from the field, while holding Murray State to 44.3-percent. The Titans also slowed down the Racers' three-point attack as they came into the game eighth in the country hitting 11 triples per game, but were just 7-of-23 on the night.

Junior DeShawndre Black added a team-high five assists. Senior Jarod Williams notched nine points and five rebounds and sophomore Gerald Blackshear Jr. totaled eight points and five boards. 

The Titans and Racers went back and forth early on and Murray State led 21-19 midway through the first half. That is when the Titans caught fire offensively and defensively going on a 17-4 charge over the next five minutes.

The defense held Murray State to 1-of-6 in that span with a pair of turnovers. Offensively, McFolley scored eight-straight points to get it started, the last four on a three with a foul as he connected on the free throw for the four-point play. 

Allen and Hogan followed with baskets and then Allen nailed a 3-pointer for a 34-25 lead. The next time down the floor, Williams had a layup for a 36-25 advantage with 3:57 left in the half.

The Racers would go on a 13-2 run to knot the game at 38-all, but Allen sent the Titans into the locker room with the lead hitting a three as time expired.

Allen had 11 points in the opening stanza, while McFolley netted 10 for the Titans, who shot a blistering 51.5 percent from the field. The Titan defense forced Murray State to 34.4-percent shooting, 4-of-14 (28.6%) from three, with eight turnovers. 

The Titans will stay on the road with two-straight games against the Mid-American Conference as they play at Toledo on Wednesday, Dec. 7. Game time is set for 7 p.m. 

Game Notes:
This was just the third career meeting between the two schools… The trip to Kentucky was the fifth state the Titans have played in this season… Seven Titans were credited with an assist in the game… It was Hogan's sixth-straight game in double figures… It was Allen's fourth game of the season in double figures, but the first on the road… Allen is averaging 15.3 points in the last three games after averaging just 8.2 in the first five… McFolley was coming off a two-point game against Eastern Michigan…   

McFolley leads four Titans in double figures with 17 points, but the Titans drop a hard fought contest at Murray State #HLMBB pic.twitter.com/sIje6tkvNv

— Detroit Mercy Titans (@detroittitans) December 4, 2016