ATHENS, Ohio (11/18/2023) -- Sophomore Marcus Tankersley scored a team-high 14 points and grabbed a career-best eight rebounds, but a slow start on offense was too much to overcome as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team fell, 71-52, at Ohio on Saturday afternoon.

Senior Jayden Stone netted 11 points and posted a season-high seven rebounds with two steals, while graduate senior Edoardo Del Cadia grabbed eight boards and added nine points. Junior Trenton Johnson scored a season-high nine points and redshirt freshman Abdullah Olajuwon ended with a season-high four points, eight caroms, and two assists.

The Titans (0-4) trailed by seven, 32-25, early in the second half as Stone hit a jumper. Later on, a three by Stone followed by a bucket from Del Cadia had the team within eight, 43-35, with 12:30 left, but Ohio (2-1) went on a 20-7 run in the next six minutes to take control of the game.

Johnson tried to stop the run with a basket and a foul, hitting the free throw for the three-point play to make it 50-38, but the Bobcats scored five in a row. Johnson had another basket and Del Cadia came up with a steal and went all the way down the court for a layup, and it was a 63-46 contest, but that was as close as the red, white and blue would get the rest of the way. 

The Titans nearly outrebounded the Bobcats, 42-40, but shot just 32.0% from the floor and were an uncharacteristic 4-of-23 from behind the arc. 

It was a slow start to the game as both teams were shooting under 30.0% for the first eight minutes. Tankersley got the Titans within two, 8-6, with a layup, but Ohio opened up a double-digit lead at 19-9 with 8:05 on the clock. A three-point play by Tankersley cut into that, but the Bobcats answered with a three to push the lead back up to 10.

Ohio led by as many as 11, 27-16, when junior Mak Manciel drilled his first collegiate triple to cut it to eight, 27-19, with 3:28 left. With under a minute to go, Stone corralled an offensive board and would nail a trey for a 30-22 margin, but the home team went into the break up by 10, 32-22. 

Detroit Mercy will return to the hardwood on Tuesday, Nov. 21, in its home opener as the red, white and blue host in-state rival Eastern Michigan at 7:00 p.m. It will be the annual MITTEN DRIVE game as anyone who donates a pair of mittens at the door will get in for FREE! 

For tickets, click here. 

Game Notes:

• Ohio now leads the all-time series, 5-2, including all three games at the Convocation Center
• The Titans started the year with four straight away from Calihan Hall for the fourth time in school history and the third time under head coach Mike Davis
• Detroit Mercy is now 184-127 all-time against current members of the MAC
• The four 3-pointers were the fewest since going 3-of-16 at Florida Atlantic last year
• Johnson just had his first eight Division I points at Ole Miss
• Dating back to last season, Tankersley has now been in double figures in four of the last six games
• Tankersley's previous high in rebounds was five twice last season
• Olajuwon had six rebounds at Cincinnati

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