DETROIT (1/19/2019) -- Freshman Antoine Davis scored a team-high 19 points, senior Gerald Blackshear Jr. grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and the University of Detroit Mercy basketball team, despite a furious rally in the closing minutes, fell to Oakland University, 79-73, in Saturday's #MetroSeries game at Calihan Hall.

Detroit Mercy (8-11, 5-2 Horizon League) shared the wealth offensively as Davis was held scoreless until the nine-minute mark of the first half. But the star rookie caught fire thereafter, scoring seven of the Titans' final nine points as they made a furious comeback late in the contest.

Trailing by 17 points with five minutes left in the game, the Titans pulled within 76-73 of Oakland (9-11, 5-2 HL) after Blackshear slammed in a loose ball rattling around the basket with 22 seconds left.

But time ran out on the red, white and blue's comeback as the Golden Grizzlies hit three consecutive free throws to seal the victory.

Junior Harrison Curry grabbed seven boards for Detroit Mercy, and freshman Chris Brandon hauled in six. Both forwards finished with six points apiece.

Detroit Mercy trailed 10-2 early in the contest but continuously chipped away at the lead in the first half, pulling within a basket of Oakland several times before the break. The Golden Grizzlies led 39-33 at halftime.

The Titans out-rebounded Oakland 40-34 (15-8 on the offensive end) and shot 81.8 percent from the charity stripe. They also had 25 points off the fast break to the Golden Grizzlies' six.

Three Titans scored in double-figures. Davis led the way, freshman Willy Isiani had 12 points and freshman Marquis Moore 11. Moore also tied senior Josh McFolley with a team-high four assists.

In addition to his work in the passing game, McFolley scored eight points, grabbed three rebounds and swiped two passes.

Next up, the Titans hit the road as they'll face UIC on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. The game can be viewed on ESPN+ or listened to on the airwaves on Radio 910 AM.

First Half:

• Brandon scored the game's first points on a tip-in layup, but Oakland countered with a 10-0 run over the next two minutes
• Trailing 10-2, the Titans slowly chipped away, as Curry lofted in a layup and Moore tipped in a pair of floaters, converting a 3-point play on the latter basket, to pull the red, white and blue within four, 13-9
• A triple by Isiani with just under 12 left in the first half trimmed Detroit Mercy's deficit to two points at 16-14
• An 8-2 run put Oakland up 24-16 with 9:10 remaining, but Davis hit a jumper for his first points of the contest and McFolley had a scoop and score cut to cut the lead to four
• Detroit Mercy pulled within four of Oakland, again, at the 3-minute mark, as Davis hit a jumper and King a contested triple
• Junior Lamar Hamrick's layup sent the Titans into halftime down 39-33

Second Half:

• Detroit Mercy opened the second half with a 6-2 run, headlined by four points by Moore, all coming from the charity stripe
• A slam by Blackshear Jr. and a pair of Davis jumpers sliced Oakland's lead to two with 13:40 left in the second half, and one minute later
• One minute later, McFolley picked up his second steal of the game and raced toward the basket for a fast-break layup
• After an 8-4 run by Oakland, Brandon stepped up big, blocking a shot in the paint and tipping in a basket at the opposite rim
• Isiani hit three triples in a 1:51 span, the first to snap a 13-0 Oakland run, and Davis drilled a shot from downtown to cut the Titans' deficit to seven, 74-67 
• Four consecutive makes from the free throw line by Davis cut Oakland's lead to five, 76-71, and Blackshear slammed home a ball rattling around the rim to make it a three-point game with 22 seconds left
• Oakland hit three straight free throws to close out a six-point victory

Notes:

• This was the 24th career meeting between the two schools, located roughly 26 miles apart.
• Detroit Mercy still leads the overall series, 13-10, but Oakland has won nine of the last 11 since joining the Horizon League in 2013-14
• The Titans season low for 3-pointers was six on four occasions
• Davis came into the game second in the nation in scoring at 27.7 points per game
• Davis season low was 18 points at Dayton
• Moore's season high was just two points on three occasions
• King's streak of double-digit scoring was snapped at seven straight
• McFolley totaled two steals against Oakland, giving him 187 on his career, three shy of tying Rashad Phillips mark of 190, which ranks third in career steals in program history