YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (2/4/2017) -- Freshman
Corey Allen lit up the scoreboard for a game-high 27 points and junior
Jaleel Hogan muscled his way to a double-double as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team cruised past Youngstown State, 90-80, on Saturday night at the Beeghly Center.
Allen knocked down six 3-pointers for the second-straight game as he finished 10-of-16 overall from the field with three rebounds and three assists for his fourth-straight game with 20 or more points. Hogan tallied 22 points and a career-best 12 rebounds to go with two big blocks and sophomore
Josh McFolley ended with 18 points and a game-high and career-tying five steals.
There were six lead changes and three ties early in the game before Detroit Mercy (6-18, 4-8 HL) took the lead for good going on a 14-0 run.
Youngstown State (10-15, 4-8 HL) was leading by eight, 28-20, with 9:14 left in the first when the Titans took control. The defense was the catalyst holding the high-scoring Penguins to 0-of-6 from the field with three turnovers over the next five minutes.
Hogan started it with a layup and then junior
DeShawndre Black hit a three. After a YSU missed shot, Williams went to the lane for a layup and the deficit was cut to just one, 28-27. A free throw by Hogan knotted it up and then the big man got loose inside for back-to-back baskets and the Titans led by four, 32-28. McFolley ended the run with a layup off another Penguins miss and the red, white and blue was ahead by six, 34-28, and eventually took a 38-35 lead at the break.
The Titans began to put the finishing touches on the win right out of the gate in the second half opening the frame with 12-straight points to extend their lead to 15, 50-35. Allen and McFolley hit triples in that span and after a steal by senior
Chris Jenkins, sophomore
Gerald Blackshear Jr. was able to put it down for a slam and a 15-point advantage with 17:29 left.
Detroit Mercy would push its lead to the 20's and led by as many as 26 at one point, 75-49, with 8:31 left in the game. The Titans would have a 23-point advantage with over five minutes remaining and would go on to win by double digits.
Jenkins posted nine points, three rebounds and two steals, while senior
Jarod Williams added seven points, six rebounds and three assists. Blackshear Jr. recorded two points, six rebounds, a career-tying three assists and two blocks.
The Titans shot 53.2 percent for the game (33-of-62), including 60.0 percent in the second half (18-of-30). Detroit Mercy edged Youngstown State on the boards (39-37) and handed out 18 assists.
The defense limited YSU to 41.4 percent from the field and 9-of-27 from long range. The Titans also held Cameron Morse – one of the top scoring players in the HL – to 20 points after he had 17 in the first half alone.
Detroit Mercy will now get ready for a #MetroSeries showdown with Oakland on Friday, Feb. 10. Game time is set for 7 p.m., in historic Calihan Hall and it will be a festive day as the Titans will retire legendary player Terry Duerod's jersey prior to the game and then honor the 1976-77 men's basketball team at halftime.
Tickets to the 1976-77 men's basketball reunion set for Friday from 3-5 p.m. are still available by
clicking here.
Tickets to all Titan 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. 30, 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 now lead the all-time series, 35-9…. Detroit Mercy has won nine in a row over YSU, the third longest current winning streak in school history behind the 26 in a row against Hillsdale and 12 in a row over John Carroll… Titans shot at least 50.0 percent for the fourth time this season and the first time on the road (vs. WKU, vs. Wright State, vs. Green Bay)… Detroit Mercy has scored at least 90 points four times this year (vs. Adrian, at Oakland, vs. Green Bay)… The Titans had two players score at least 20 points for the third time this year (vs. NKU, vs. Green Bay)… Hogan now has five career 20-point games and four this season… Hogan now has five career double-doubles and three this year… Hogan matched his career high in assists as he also had four against YSU at home back on Jan. 16… McFolley was in double figures for the 18th time this year… McFolley registered his 16th multi-steal game of the season and his eighth with at least three steals… Allen is avergaing 23.2 points in his last four games... Allen has seven games on the year with four or more 3-pointers, including three straight… Jenkins is now 42 for his last 44 at the free throw line (95.4%)…
