DETROIT (12/8/2020) -- Junior Antoine Davis led the way with 21 points, but a Kent State run late in the first half put too much distance on the Titans as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team dropped an 80-66 contest to the Golden Flashes on Tuesday at Calihan Hall.

Davis hit a pair of 3-pointers in the game to move to second place in school history with 237 career triples. He also had five rebounds and four assists.

Senior Dwayne Rose Jr. had 15 points, four rebounds and two assists and junior Willy Isiani posted 15 points, seven rebounds and three helpers. 

The Titans (0-3) led 18-13 with six minutes to go in the first half, but Kent State (2-1) went on a 21-5 run to open the game up. Detroit Mercy did not back down and on the strength of a 7-0 run in the second, the Titans were able to get within eight points, 54-46, with over 10 minutes to go but that was as close as they got.

Senior Matt Johnson recorded five points and a career-high seven rebounds and five steals, while graduate senior Marquell Fraser posted five points and two boards.

Detroit Mercy turned it over just 12 times and was again spectacular at the free-throw line, hitting 18-of-20 (90.0%). 

Detroit Mercy will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 12, when the red, white and blue head to in-state foe Western Michigan for a 2 p.m. tip in Kalamazoo.

First Half:

• It was a slow start offensively for both teams as they were a combined 1-of-12 from the field early with four turnovers
• Kent State led 3-1 when Kuol was fouled on a three and he still made the basket and the free throw for a four-point play
• Two free throws by Isiani and then Rose Jr. was able to get inside for a score and a 9-3 advantage
• Great passing by the Titans then saw graduate senior Bul Kuol feed Fraser and his layup made it 11-3 at the 13:19 mark
• Kent State scored seven in a row to end that run and Davis ended the Golden Flashes spurt with a triple with 11:13 remaining
• Two free throws by Isiani had the team up 16-13, but Kent State stormed back with a 15-2 charge for a 28-21 lead with 6:30 left
• Two free throws by graduate senior Brad Calipari and Isiani ended a KSU 21-5 spurt and had the team down 34-26 with 2:40 left
• Davis ended the half with a jumper in the final five seconds and the red, white and blue trailed at the half, 38-28

Second Half:

• Kent State took a 49-30 lead at the 16-minute mark
• Davis had back-to-back baskets to trim it to 51-36 with 14 minutes to go
• Detroit Mercy then scored seven-straight points to pull within eight, 54-46, with 10:36 remaining
• Later on, a 3-pointer by Isiani had the Titans down by just nine, 58-49, with 9:13 left
• KSU then went on a run again to increase its advantage to 18, 72-54, with five minutes to go

Game Notes:

• Earlier in the day, the Titans announced their rescheduled game at Kentucky on Dec. 15 was being canceled due to testing and logistics associated with Covid-19
• These two campuses are separated by just 200 miles and are three hours apart, but this was just the seventh career meeting between the two squads as Kent State now leads it, 5-2 
• Davis passed Desmond Ferguson for sole possession of second place in school history with 237 career triples and now trails only Rashad Phillips' 348
• Davis now has 46 career 20-point games in 64 contests
• In his last 15 career games as a Titan, Rose Jr. is averaging 10.1 points per game
• Isiani was in double figures for the ninth time in his Detroit Mercy career
• Johnson's five steals were the most by a Titan since Marquis Moore had five at Milwaukee last year
• The Titans came into the game 19-of-21 at the line and were 18-of-20 in the game