YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (2/16/2018) -- Six Titans scored in double figures and Detroit Mercy shot nearly 50.0 percent for the game as the men's basketball team used a second-half offensive explosion to cruise past Youngstown State, 94-84, on Friday night.
Redshirt junior
Kameron Chatman led the way with 26 points and 13 rebounds, his ninth double-double of the year. Chatman was 10-of-13 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the line.
Graduate senior
Roschon Prince had 16 points and six rebounds and freshman
Jermaine Jackson Jr. tallied 12 points, four steals and two assists.
Detroit Mercy (8-20, 4-11 HL) led by one at the break, 37-36, but started the second half on an 11-0 run to take control of the game.Â
The Titans never let Youngstown State (8-21, 6-11 HL) get any closer than six and sealed the game late with a 14-4 run around some great defense that turned into some easy baskets.Â
Junior
Josh McFolley had 12 points as did sophomore
Corey Allen, while senior
DeShawndre Black finished with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
The Titans shot 49.2 percent (32-of-65), including 59.4 percent (19-of-32) in the second half. Detroit Mercy was 24-of-25 (96.0%) at the free throw line and came away with 10 steals, forcing 15 turnovers on the night. The Titans also had 25 fastbreak points.Â
Detroit Mercy will be back in action on Monday, Feb. 21, when the red, white and blue travel to UIC.Â
First Half:
- It was the Titans who jumped out to a fast start as McFolley nailed a three and Chatman had a jumper for a 5-0 run to start the game en route to a 12-4 lead.
- Youngstown State came back with 12-straight points to take the lead, and the game was tied at 20-20 at the 12:17 mark.
- The lead changed hands a few times after that, but the Titans led by three, 31-28, off a rebound from Prince as he found Chatman running down the court and he made the layup and the foul with 3:55 left.
- Two free throws by freshman Jack Ballantyne gave the Titans a 33-31 lead and two more from the charity stripe with two seconds left sent the red, white and blue into the half up 37-36.Â
Second Half:
- McFolley started the half again with a triple and off a defensive rebound, sophomore Cole Long found Prince inside for a basket.Â
- Another stop on defense led to a three by Long and with the Titans crashing the offensive glass, they kept the ball alive and Black found Chatman, who buried a trifecta for a 48-26 lead just three minutes in.
- Youngstown State would pull within six, 54-48, at the 13:47 mark, but the Titans did not let the Penguins get any closer as Jackson Jr. hit back-to-back jumpers to raise the lead back to double digits.
- Later on, Allen extended the advantage back to 12, 67-55, as he connected from long range.
- The lead never went under eight after that, and the Titans would go back to double digits for good with 5:35 left as Jackson Jr. made two from the line for an 80-70 score.
- The Titans led 82-72 when Chatman had two-straight baskets and then a steal from Allen led to a layup from Jackson Jr.Â
- Another stop on defense led to an Allen field goal for a 92-74 lead with 2:39 remaining.Â
Game Notes:
- The Titans lead the overall series, 37-9, and have won 11 in a row in the match-up
- Detroit Mercy had six players in double figures for the third time this season
- The Titans recorded double-digit steals for the sixth time this season
- Detroit Mercy's 24 free throws are tied for the most on the season with the 24 against Houston Baptist
- Chatman now has 12, 20-point games on the season, the most by a Titan since Paris Bass posted 13 in 2015-16
- Prince has now been in double figures in scoring in five-straight games and 10 times during Horizon League play
- Prince is now averaging 11.3 points per game in conference play and shooting 58.5%
- Black scored in double figures for the third time in five games and now has 30 assists and just 13 turnovers in the last 13 games
- Jackson Jr.'s four steals are the most since he had nine against Siena Heights
Â
Â
