INDIANAPOLIS (11/12/2018) -- Freshman Antoine Davis netted a team-high 20 points and senior Josh McFolley added 17 points and a team-high three steals, but a strong offensive showing by Butler and several big runs were the difference as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team fell to its old conference rival, 84-63, on Monday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. 
 
It was Detroit Mercy's first meeting with Butler since the 2011-2012 season. The Titans swept both regular-season games that year as they went on to win the Horizon League title and make an appearance NCAA Tournament.
 
A 15-3 run spanning over six minutes allowed Butler (2-0) to pull away in the first half, and a pair of 9-0 runs after halftime allowed the Bulldogs to sink the Titans for good.
 
Detroit Mercy's offense, commandeered by Davis, struggled to find consistency in the first half. But the Titans (0-3) and the star rookie came alive after halftime. The team scored more points in the second half (43) than they did in the first (20), with Davis netting 18 of his 20 points in the final 20 minutes of play.
 
On the heels of a historic week to open his collegiate playing career, Davis was 6-of-12 shooting from the field in the second half, draining 3-of-6 triples. The freshman earned Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors Monday after posting back-to-back 30-point games – the first Titan to do that since the 2007-08 season - and scoring the most points by a Titan freshman in his collegiate debut.
 
Like Davis, McFolley was also far more effective after halftime, scoring 15 of his 17 points in the second half on 5-of-8 from the field and a perfect 2-of-2 behind the arc.
 
Senior Gerald Blackshear Jr. had a team-high seven rebounds and added six points, converting all three of his shot attempts.
 
Davis, freshman Chris Brandon, and junior Tra'Quan Knight each finished with four rebounds.
 
Detroit Mercy got 20 points from its bench and was effective off Butler's 13 turnovers, which led to 17 points. The Bulldogs outscored the Titans 34-24 in the paint and converted on 19-of-23 attempts from the charity stripe.
 
The four-game road swing to start the season will continue as the red, white and blue visit California on Thursday, Nov. 15. The game is part of the Gotprint.Com Legends Classic, presented by Old Trapper. Game time is set for 10 p.m. and will be televised live on the PAC 12 Network.
 
First Half:

• Detroit Mercy got on the board first on a layup by Davis 11 seconds into play.
• Trailing 5-2, Detroit Mercy traded baskets with Butler for the next four minutes, pulling within 5-4 and 13-10.
• A fast-break layup by Holland had the Titans within a point of the Bulldogs at 13-12, and a few plays later, a Derrien King jumper made it 15-14, as Detroit Mercy was converting 50 percent of its shots with 11:13 to play
• A Cole Long triple — his first points of the year — out of a media timeout snapped a 6-0 Butler run
• A King jumper from just inside the arc ended a lengthy scoreless streak and added a pair of made free throws late in the first half
• Butler shot 9-of-10 from the charity stripe in the final 3:27 of the half to take a 40-22 advantage into the break

 
Second Half:

• McFolley helped Detroit Mercy's offense find some rhythm to start the second half, as he converted a layup and sunk a 3-pointer for a 5-0 run in the first 2:23 out of the break
• After a cold spell in the first half, Davis got going early in the second, as he drilled a pair of free throws, made a jumper and netted a triple on a fast break, trimming Butler's lead to 42-34
• Detroit Mercy pulled within 44-40 after Davis added back-to-back 3-pointers, the second triple capping 13 points by the freshman in just over two minutes of action
• McFolley sunk a pair of free throws to end a 9-0 Butler run and later converted on a 3-point play, trimming the Bulldogs' lead to 56-47
• McFolley drilled a long 3-pointer in front of the Titans' bench with 7:39 left, but Butler's Sean McDermott answered with a three of his own
• Detroit Mercy traded baskets with Butler the rest of the way, after the Bulldogs went on a 9-0 run to go up by 18 points

Game Notes:

• Detroit Mercy were longtime rivals in the Midwestern City Conference, which turned to the Midwestern Collegiate Conference and eventually the Horizon League
• The Titans trail the all-time series, 44-29, as Butler has won 13 of the last 16 meetings
• Coach Davis returned to the Hoosier State, where he led Indiana to the NCAA National Championship appearance in 2002
• Coach Davis is now 3-3 all-time against Butler
• Earlier today, Davis was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week after averaging 31.0 points in his first two games
• With his 17 points, McFolley moved up to 34th all-time in scoring with 1,086 points, passing Carl Pickett (1993-97) and former teammate Jaleel Hogan (2014-18)
• McFolley's three steals has him in fifth place in school record book with 155, 20 behind Ray McCallum (2010-13) for fourth
• Redshirt senior Musial Gjysma made his collegiate debut in the game