FORT WAYNE, Ind. (1/13/2022) -- Junior Madut Akec powered his way to his sixth double-double of the season and a slow start on offense was almost overcome, but the Titans last-second shot at a win was off the mark as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team dropped a 62-60 decision at Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday night.

Akec had 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to go with four steals and two assists. Senior Antoine Davis led the way with a game-high 17 points and six assists, while junior Noah Waterman scored 12 points.

The Titans (5-8, 3-1 HL) trailed 53-46 with 6:45 left when they started to chip away, scoring six-straight points on three-point plays from senior Matt Johnson and Waterman to make it a one-possession game, 53-52, with 4:43 remaining. Detroit Mercy would stay within four the rest of the way and was behind, 62-60, with three seconds to go, but Davis' half-court attempt at a win did not find the back of the net.

Senior Willy Isiani had eight points, three assists and three rebounds, while Johnson netted six points and handed out four assists. 

Detroit Mercy dominated the glass, 40-32, with 12 offensive rebounds, but shot 36.5% overall and 8-of-29 from distance, while committing 16 turnovers. 

The Titans got off to a slow start going 2-of-15 from the field and scoring just seven points in the first 10 minutes as Purdue Fort Wayne (8-7, 4-3 HL) built an 11-point lead, 18-7. The red, white and blue got back in it with seven-straight points and trailed only 28-24 at the break.

In the second half, the Titans would go on a 9-0 run to jump out in front, 36-33 as Akec slammed in the final two points. Later on, Waterman hit a three to give the Titans a 39-36 advantage and Akec followed with a bucket for a 41-36 score with 14 minutes to go.

The Titans would also have a five-point lead at 46-41 as Davis nailed a triple with 12:01 left, but that is when the Mastodons went on a 12-0 run to take the lead and would never relinquish it. 

Detroit Mercy will be right back in action on Saturday as the Titans head to Cleveland State for a 3:30 tip. 

First Half:

• The Titans started just 1-of-7 and 2-of-15 from the field with Davis hitting a jumper and Johnson nailing a triple as the team trailed 11-5 at the 11:46 mark
• A jumper from Harvey had the team down 11-7 with 10:50 to go
• Purdue Fort Wayne scored seven in a row for an 18-7 lead, but the Titans answered back with seven-straight
• Isiani started the spurt with a three and off a Mastodons' turnover, Akec got inside for a bucket
• The Titans got another turnover and Akec scored to trim the deficit to just four, 18-14, at the 7:34 mark
• The Mastodons went on a 7-0 run until Davis drained a three to end that and make it 22-17 with 5:37 remaining
• Davis went into double digits again draining a three for his 10th point to make it a 28-24 contest with 10 seconds left

Second Half:

• Isiani started the scoring with a three and the next time down the court, he got inside for a basket and it was a 33-29 game just two minutes in
• That started a 9-0 run as Davis went inside for a bucket, Isiani hit a triple and Akec had a big slam off a pass from Davis for a 36-33 lead with 15:42 left
• After Purdue Fort Wayne tied it at 36-36, Waterman connected from distance to go up 39-36 and Akec went inside again for a layup and the Titans had their largest lead of five, 41-36, with 14:16 on the clock
• Off two offensive rebounds, Waterman got inside for two and it was 43-38 and later, Davis landed from three and another five-point margin, 46-41, with 12 minutes left
• The Mastodons would then go on a 12-0 spurt for a 53-46 advantage with 6:45 to go
• Johnson drove the lane for a layup and was fouled and he hit the free throw for a three-point play and later on, Waterman did the same to get the Titans within one, 53-52, with 4:43 on the clock
• Akec recorded his fourth steal and a pass set up Waterman for an easy layup and it was 58-56 with 1:10 left 
• Waterman made two free throws with under four seconds left to make it 61-60 as the Titan defense looked to set up a steal at the end
• Detroit Mercy was down 62-60 with one last heave at a game-winner with three seconds on the clock but it fell short

Game Notes:

• Despite being just 161 miles apart, this was only the fifth career meeting between the two schools as Purdue Fort Wayne leads the series 3-2 and is 2-0 at home 
• The Titans came into the game averaging 85.7 points in their last three games
• Akec has now been in double figures in 11 games this season with the other two a pair of nine-point outings
• Akec's previous career-high in rebounding was 13 in the season opener at Wyoming
• Akec came into the contest 39th in the NCAA in double-doubles, 45th in rebounding and 91st in offensive rebounding 
• Davis was in double figures for the 95th straight game, now one behind Oregon State's Tres Trinkle (2016-20) for sixth place in NCAA history as he entered the season with a chance at the NCAA record, held by La Salle's Lionel Simmons (1986-90) and Campbell's Chris Clemons at 115 (2015-19)
• Davis now has 2,340 career points, just eight behind Valparaiso's Alec Peters (2013-17) for third in Horizon League history and 574 in back of the all-time leader
• Davis has connected on a 3-pointer in 29-straight games and in 91 of his 95 collegiate games as he is fifth all-time in NCAA history with 3.97, three-point field goals per game
• Waterman was in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time this season
• Isiani is averaging 9.6 points in his last five games after tallying just 2.6 in his first eight