DETROIT (12/6/2017) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team erased a 13-point second half deficit against visiting Toledo, tying the game on a pair of
Josh McFolley free throws with 2.6 seconds left but the Rockets hit a buzzer-beater to escape with an 89-86 win at Calihan Hall.
The Titans trailed by 13 points, 76-63, with 5:42 left in the contest. After a timeout, Detroit Mercy hit a pair of 3-pointers in less than one minute with
Kameron Chatman and
Josh McFolley knocking down triples. Detroit Mercy was within four points, 80-76, after Chatman scored five straight points on a triple and a pair of free throws.
With less than one minute left in the game, McFolley hit a leaning 3-pointer and made it a four-point play after he was fouled on the play. His four-point play pulled the Titans to one point, 83-82, with 50 seconds left. Toledo led 86-84 with 11 seconds left after sinking 1-of-2 free throws after McFolley had converted on a lay-up at the other end.
Toledo elected to foul McFolley with just 2.6 seconds left on the clock and he calmly stepped to the line and tied the game, 86-86. The Rockets took a timeout to draw up one play and threw the ball down the court to Tre'Shaun Fletcher, who had Titan junior forward Gerald Blackshear in his face, and hit a tough 3-pointer from in front of his bench.
McFolley scored a game-high 24 points for the Titans. Chatman and sophomore guard
Corey Allen each scored 17 points for Detroit Mercy. Freshman Jermaine Jackson, Jr. was the fourth Titan in double figures with 11 points.
The Titans shot 47.1 percent from the floor and 85.7 percent from the foul line. Detroit Mercy sank 10 triples in the contest.
Detroit Mercy returns to the hardwood Saturday, Dec. 6, hosting Western Michigan for a 2 p.m. ET game from Calihan Hall. The game is set to be seen live on ESPN3.com as well as on local television on WADL TV-38.
First Half:
- Jaleel Hogan opened the game, banking home a bucket in the paint on the first possession.
- The Titans hit their first four shots of the game, jumping out to an 8-2 lead.
- Corey Allen followed with a 3-pointer from the corner to make it an 11-2 run un the first three minutes.
- Toledo followed with a 14-2 run of its own to take the lead in the contest, 16-13.
- Allen ended the run with a jumper from the wing.
- Jackson Jr. knocked down a 3-pointer to re-give Detroit Mercy a 20-18 edge with 11:46 left in the half.
- The next time down, Allen connected on a triple from nearly the same spot as he was quickly in double figures midway through the first half.
- Jackson Jr. and Josh McFolley make the Titans' fourth and fifth 3-pointers of the half; Detroit Mercy leads 29-24 at the 7:34 mark.
- Toledo regained the lead, but Hogan layed it in on a feed from Jackson Jr.
- The Rockets scored 12 of the final 17 points of the first half to take a 46-42 lead at the halftime break.
- Detroit Mercy and Toledo each shot 50 percent in the half, with Allen leading the Titans in the opening frame with 12 points.
Second Half:
- Jackson Jr. hit his third triple of the contest in the opening minutes of the second half and after a Hogan block, McFolley finished on the fast break to pull the Titans to within one point, 50-49.
- Toledo scored the next seven points to take a 57-49 advantage at the first media timeout of the second half at the 14:37 mark.
- Gerald Blackshear corralled an offensive rebound out of the timeout and converted on a strong move from the block to
- The Rockets used a 19-9 run over the next few minutes of the game to take a double-digit advantage and lead 69-58 at the under-eight minute timeout with 7:56 left in the game.
- After Toledo upped its advantage to 13 points, Chatman and McFolley connected on back-to-back 3-pointers before Blackshear stole the ball near mid-court, avoided a Toledo player and flushed it home to pull the Titans to within seven, 78-71, with 3:55 left.
- Following the media timeout, Toledo made two free throws before Chatman sank Detroit Mercy's ninth 3-pointer of the game to cut the deficit to six, 80-74. Chatman then followed with two free throws to cut the Toledo lead down to four, 80-76, and forcing a Rockets timeout with 2:32 left.
- Jackson Jr. again pulled the Titans to within four after hitting a tough lay-up from the left side after Toledo made two free throws.
- With under one minute remaining, McFolley leaned into a defender and make an off-balance 3-pointer, also drawing the foul. He converted on the free throw to make it a four-point play and pull the Titans to one, 83-82, with 50 seconds left.
- Following a Toledo timeout, the Rockets again made it a three-point game by sinking a jumper.
- McFolley followed with a tough lay-up, running down the court to sink it off glass with 17 seconds left to again pull the Titans to within one, 85-84.
- Detroit Mercy fouled with 11.6 seconds left and Toledo sank 1-of-2 free throws to go up 86-84.
- McFolley sank two free throws with 2.6 seconds left before Toledo hit the buzzer-beater to win the game.
Game Notes:
- Toledo leads the all-time series, 33-25
- The Titans are now 95-23 against non-conference opponents at home since the 1997-98 season
- Detroit Mercy had four players in double figures for the sixth time this season
- It was McFolley's ninth career 20-point game
- Allen has now been in double figures in all nine games this season
- McFolley's career high in rebounds was eight at Bowling Green last season
