EVANSTON, Ill. (12/10/2023) -- Sophomore Marcus Tankersley posted his first career double-double, recording career numbers in points and rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team fell, 91-59, at Northwestern on Sunday afternoon.

Tankersley netted a career-best 23 points on 8-of-19 shooting and pulled down a career-high 11 boards, while coming away with two steals. 

Senior Jayden Stone had 13 points, four rebounds and two assists and sophomore Tyree Davis tied his career best with eight points and had a career-high five caroms. 

The Titans (0-10) and Wildcats (7-1) traded baskets early on as a three by junior Jamail Pink tied the game at 5-5. Later, a long three by Stone had the Titans down 10-8 at the 14:23 mark. 

Detroit Mercy was down by four, 16-12, as graduate senior Donovann Toatley got inside for a layup, and then at 19-15 with 10:40 remaining as Stone buried another triple. Northwestern was able to open a double-digit lead with a 13-4 run to make it 32-19 and also had a 13-point advantage at 37-24 with 4:15 on the clock when senior Kyle LeGreair hit a fadeaway jumper and Tankersley got inside for a score. Tankersley then ended the scoring in the half by connecting on a triple with under a minute to go as the red, white and blue were behind at the break, 43-33. 

In the second half, Northwestern started with a 9-0 run on its way to a 15-2 spurt to go up 58-35 with 14:05 on the clock. Stone would hit a couple of jumpers to try and keep the team in it, and two free throws by Tankersley cut it to 20, 62-42, with 12:06 remaining. 

Junior Trenton Johnson had a bucket midway through the period to make it 67-47 and Tankersley ended his career day with a jumper with 6:04 left.

UDM shot 35.1% from the field and made a season-high 14 free throws, while battling on the boards with a 36-32 margin. 

The Titans will have a week off for finals and will next be in action on Monday, Dec. 18, as Detroit Mercy visits Jesuit-rival Loyola Marymount. 

Game Notes:

• This was only the second career meeting between the two schools, with the other a 94-84 Titan victory in the championship game of the 1956 Motor City Classic as U-D got a school-record 40 points from Bill Ebben in the win
• The Titans are now 30-123 all-time against current members of the Big Ten Conference - 12-81 on the road - and have dropped 18 in a row against the league, with the last win being a 68-65 triumph at Michigan State in 1997
• The 11 non-conference foes on the year came into the game with a 61-28 (68.5%) record
• Detroit Mercy connected on 12 free throws against Eastern Michigan and Ball State, both at home 
• The Titans' only other double-double on the season came at Ole Miss as Del Cadia had 16 points and 10 rebounds
• Tankersley's previous career high was 19 points at Ohio and eight rebounds at Ole Miss
• Stone was in double figures for the 18th time in 23 career games as a Titan
• Pink's season high is six points at Southern Illinois Edwardsville and career-high is eight against NKU last year
• Davis had his other eight-point game against Oakland, where he had four rebounds

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