DETROIT (12/7/2019) -- The Titans made a big comeback and nearly pulled it off, but they could not get one more basket as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team dropped a 55-51 contest to Eastern Michigan at Calihan Hall on Saturday night.

It was the home opener for the Titans and Detroit Mercy's DPS Benefit Game as with the paid attendance and Michigan First Credit Union's matching donation, $7,700 was raised for Detroit Public Schools, K-5.

Sophomore Antoine Davis had 16 points, while sophomore Marquis Moore tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double.

The Titans (1-7) didn't shoot well overall and were down by as many as 13 in the first half, but found themselves trailing by four at the half, 35-31. 

In the second, Detroit Mercy cut it to three only to see EMU increase it to 13 again, 50-37, with just over 10 minutes left. That is when the Titan defense buckled down, allowing just five points the rest of the way and triples from junior Jordan Gorman and sophomore Willy Isiani got the red, white and blue within four, 52-48, with 2:12 remaining. 

With time winding down, Gorman nailed another three with 1.6 seconds on the clock to make it 53-51, but the Titans couldn't steal the inbounds pass for one last chance. 

Senior Justin Miller had six points and nine rebounds and graduate senior Brad Calipari and Gorman each chipped in with six-point apiece on a pair of 3-pointers. 

Detroit Mercy had 11 steals and five blocks, while holding EMU to 6-of-20 from the outside and winning the rebounding battle, 39-32. 

The Titans head back out on the road as they travel to face the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame on Tuesday, Dec. 10, with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the game live on the ACC Network. 

First Period: 

• Eastern Michigan opened a 6-0 lead and led 14-3 when Calipari hit a three and Moore got inside for a layup
• The Titans were down 29-20 when Davis connected on two-straight 3-pointers to make it 26-26 with 2:55 left
• Davis was fouled on a three and hit three free throws and Miller connected on a pair to pull the team within three, 34-31

Second Period: 

• An early triple from Davis made it 37-34
• The Eagles went on a 9-0 run in the second half to take a 50-37 advantage at the 10:39 mark
• Two free throws by Moore and a trifecta from Calipari cut it to 50-42 with 7:28 left
• Both teams struggled on offense but a 3-pointer by Gorman and another by Isiani off a pass from Gorman got the team within four, 52-48, with 2:12 on the clock
• Gorman hit another from distance with 1.6 seconds left to make it 53-51, but the Titans could not come up with the steal and EMU added a late basket

Game Notes:

• Detroit Mercy still leads the overall series, 59-19, and is 32-6 at home
• The Titans were 15-of-16 (93.8%) at the free-throw line and are now 90-of-108 (83.3%) at the charity stripe in the last five games
• This was the latest the Titans have had a home opener since Dec. 7, 1986, in the 1986-87 campaign
• The 55 points allowed was the fewest the Titans have given up since a 74-54 win over Oakland in the 2014-15 season
• The 11 steals were the most since recording 11 at Green Bay last year
• Davis now has 974 career points and has hit a 3-pointer in all 38 collegiate games he has played in
• Davis now has 19 steals on the year after posting just 28 last year
• Moore's other double-double was 10 points and 10 rebounds against IUPUI last season
• Maxwell missed the first seven games with a thumb injury