DETROIT (12/19/2020) -- Graduate senior Marquell Fraser scored 19 points to lead four Titans in double figures, but Wright State went on a long run in the first half to open the game up as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team fell, 93-70, on Saturday afternoon at Calihan Hall.

The game was the conference opener for both schools.

Fraser was 8-of-12 from the field and also had four rebounds and three assists. Junior Antoine Davis scored 15 points and had two steals, graduate senior Bul Kuol netted 12 points, had three rebounds and a team and career-high five assists as well as three blocks and senior Matt Johnson tallied 10 points and pulled down a team and career-high eight rebounds. 

The Titans (1-4, 0-1 HL) went on an 8-0 run to take a 28-21 lead in the first half, but Wright State (3-1, 1-0 HL) then went on a 17-2 spurt to grab the lead and Detroit Mercy was not able to recover.

In the second half, Davis scored the first basket to get the team within seven, 44-37, and Kuol nailed a three to make it 57-48, but another Wright State run made the deficit too much to overcome.

Newcomer Buay Koka finished with nine points, two rebounds and two blocks and junior Willy Isiani had three points, four rebounds and four assists.

Detroit Mercy shot 40.6% from the field with eight 3-pointers and had 17 assists against just 10 turnovers. 

The Titans and Raiders will finish out the weekend series tomorrow with the opening tip set for 2 p.m. 

First Half:

• The teams went back and forth early on as it was 10-10 eight minutes into the contest
• Fraser then drove the lane twice getting a layup and a foul, converting the free throw, and then another layup as the Titans took a 10-5 lead with 11:47 left
• Wright State would jump out in front, 21-20, when the Titans went on an 8-0 run started with Kuol drilling a triple to once again give the red, white and blue the lead 23-21 with eight minutes to go
• Off an offensive rebound by Isiani, Johnson connected on a three and the next time down the court, Kuol found Fraser and his basket gave the home team a 28-21 advantage with 6:40 on the clock
• The Raiders then went on a 17-2 run to open an eight-point advantage, 38-30 and took a 44-35 lead at the break

Second Half:

• Davis started the second half with a jumper
• Isiani hit a three to get the Titans to within eight, 48-40, with 17:53 remaining
• Kuol added a triple to pull the team within 10, 55-45 at the 15:24 mark
• Kuol added another trey with 14:31 left and the Titans were within double digits again, 57-48
• Davis got inside for a layup to trim the deficit to 59-50, but the Raiders then went on a 23-4 surge over the next six minutes to take charge of the contest

Game Notes: 

• This is the 42nd year of the Horizon League (1979-80) and the 41st with Detroit Mercy as a member as the Titans are the eldest program in the league, while Wright State joined the conference in the 1994-95 season
• The Raiders now lead the all-time series, 35-27, and have won 15 of the last 19
• The Titans are now 22-19 all-time in HL home openers and 16-25 all-time in Horizon League openers
• It was the fourth game this season that the Titans have had four double-digit scorers 
• Detroit Mercy came into the game 16th in the country averaging just 9.8 turnovers per game
• Davis now has 1,601 career points and 238 career 3-pointers
• Fraser has now scored in double digits in four of the Titans five games
• Junior Chris Brandon made his first appearance of the season after missing the first four games with an injury 
• Sophomore Jamail Pink made his first-ever collegiate appearance in the game