HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (1/22/2017) -- Senior Chris Jenkins led five players in double figures with a game-high 20 points, but the scoring was not enough as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team fell, 101-87, at Northern Kentucky on Sunday at BB&T Arena.
 
Jenkins nearly tallied his second-straight double-double ending with 20 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Sophomore Josh McFolley netted 16 points with a team-high five assists. Freshman Corey Allen finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two steals, while senior Jarod Williams and sophomore Gerald Blackshear Jr. chipped in with 12 points apiece, a career-tying for Blackshear Jr.
 
Playing shorthanded, the Titans (4-16, 2-6 HL) came out ready to battle with the Norse as freshman Cole Long and Blackshear Jr., were very active inside. The contest saw five lead changes and four ties in the first 20 minutes.
 
The Titans led 12-7 early on the strength of eight-straight points. McFolley started that with a triple and a layup and then Allen fought for an offensive rebound and put-back and was fouled, with his free throw giving the Titans the five-point edge at the 15-minute mark.
 
NKU (13-8, 4-4 HL) came back to take the lead with six-straight points, but a jumper from senior Jarod Williams had the Titans back in front, 14-13. The Norse regained the lead and were ahead, 26-22, when junior DeShawndre Black got inside for a layup off a great pass from Allen and then Black came up with a steal and fed Blackshear Jr., and his bucket made it 26-all with 5:27 left in the stanza.  
 
From there, the Norse claimed the lead for the rest of the half, but a triple from Williams at the buzzer had the Titans down just 41-36 at the break.
 
NKU extended its lead to as many as eight, 44-36, early in the second half when the red, white and blue went on a 6-0 run. Two steals got Blackshear Jr., inside for a couple of baskets and Long was able to corral an offensive rebound and lay it in to make it a 44-42 game with 17:44 left.
 
The Norse then went on a 14-2 spurt to take control of the game and the Titans could not cut it to single digits the rest of the way.
 
The defense forced 21 turnovers and came away with 11 steals, scoring 28 points off the Norse miscues. The offense shot 43.5 percent for the game and 95.2 percent at the free throw line hitting 20-of-21.
 
Senior Patrick Robinson Jr. had eight points and Black recorded a game-high three steals.
 
The Titans will return to the Motor City as Detroit Mercy hosts Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 27, in a special RED-OUT game. All fans are encouraged to wear red to historic Calihan Hall for the 7 p.m., tip.
 
Tickets to all home games start at just $10, $6 for children and seniors. To purchase tickets online, visit detroittitans.com/tix. To purchase over the phone or for more information on game tickets, contact Director of Ticket Operations & Sales Justin Hairston at 313-993-1700 ext. 7301 or at hairstjj1@udmercy.edu.

Fans, remember the Titan Basketball Coaches Show is back tomorrow, Jan. 23, from 8-9 p.m., at Dino's Lounge in Ferndale. It will feature both head men's basketball coach Bacari Alexander '99 and women's head coach Bernard Scott and will be carried live on 910 AM Superstation with Cliff Russell serving as the host.
 
Game Notes:
Titans trail the all-time series, 3-1… The Titans were without Matthew Grant and Jaleel Hogan, who missed the game with undisclosed injuries… Detroit Mercy shot 20-of-21 at the free throw line for a 95.2 percent clip, the highest ever in school history when shooting at least 20 free throws in a game… Detroit Mercy had five players in double figures for the third time this season… The Titans had double digit steals for the fifth time this season, all within the last six games…  The Titans also forced at least 20 turnovers for the sixth time this year and fifth in the last six contests… McFolley now has 16, 3-pointers in the last three games… Blackshear Jr. has scored a career-tying 12 points four times in his career and on three occasions in 2016-17… Robinson Jr. averaged 7.6 ppg., in three games this week after coming into this span averaging less than 1.0 ppg., in 18 career contests… Long made his third career start (Western Kentucky, Fort Wayne)… Williams' 12 points are the most since he netted 13 at Toledo earlier in the year… Jenkins 10 free throws were the most since Paris Bass had 11 at Wright State last season… Jenkins now has nine 20-point games in his career and two this season, both against NKU…   

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