DETROIT (12/31/2016) -- The Titans used a second-half run to get back in the game, but it just wasn't enough as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team dropped an 85-72 contest to Wright State on Saturday in Calihan Hall.

Freshman Corey Allen led the way with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-15 from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the arc. He also had three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Junior Jaleel Hogan posted 16 points, three boards, two assists, two blocks and a steal and senior Matthew Grant tallied seven points, a team-high six rebounds and a pair of assists. 

It was a tight game in the first half as neither team led by more than four points through the first 15 minutes. Wright State (10-5, 1-1 HL) led 11-7 early, but the Titans would go on a 7-0 run to erase that and eventually take a four-point lead themselves at 22-18 with 8:44 remaining in the half.

The game was tied at 28-28 with just over five minutes left when the Raiders found their outside offense hitting four 3-pointers and ending the period on a 14-5 run for a 42-33 lead at the break.

Allen led the Titans (2-12, 0-2 HL) with 11 in the first half. The Titans shot 45.8-percent (11-of-24) from the field with four triples, but Wright State was 16-of-28 (57.1%), including 8-of-13 from three.  

Wright State had an 11-point lead, 48-37, early in the second half when the red, white and blue started to chop down the margin. Grant nailed a 3-pointer and was fouled, converting on the free throw for the four-point play. After a WSU free throw, Hogan got inside for a layup and the Titans were down by just six, 49-43, with 17:07 left.

The Raiders upped their lead to 12 after that on two occasions, the latest at 62-50, but a 10-2 run by the Titans got them back in the game. It started with a triple from junior DeShawndre Black and a basket and a free throw from McFolley made it 64-56. 

The Titans kept on applying pressure in the paint as freshman Cole Long fought his way to the basket and laid it in, and after another Wright State empty possession, McFolley was fouled going to the rim and his free throws had the Titans down by just four, 64-60, with 8:25 left. 

During the spurt, the Titan defense held the Raiders to 1-of-7 shooting with three turnovers.  

That was as close as Detroit Mercy would get with Wright State going on an 11-0 run after that to regain its double-digit advantage.

Black finished with eight points and senior Chris Jenkins recorded seven points and three rebounds. Long registered four points and four boards and junior Josh McFolley had five points with two steals. 

Detroit Mercy will hit the road for three-straight games starting with a trip out to Chicago to play UIC on Friday, Jan. 6, before battling Valparaiso on Sunday. 

The next home game for the Titans will be on Jan. 16 against Youngstown State. 

Game Notes:
The Titans now trail the all-time series, 28-26… The Titans 15 free throws were the most since hitting 16 at Murray State… It was the most points for Black since he had nine against Manhattan… McFolley had scored in double digits in six-straight games… Hogan has been in double figures 14 times this season… Allen is 25-of-46 (54.3%) from three in his last eight games… 

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