CLEVELAND (12/2/2023) -- Senior Jayden Stone scored a game-high 26 points and the Titans cut a double-digit deficit down to a one-possession game, but a late run by Cleveland State ended the comeback attempt as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team fell, 69-58, on the road on Saturday night.

Stone also tied for the team lead with eight rebounds as he was 9-of-14 from the field and a season-best 5-of-8 from three. 

Graduate senior Donovann Toatley netted 13 points with a season-high five rebounds and two assists, while graduate senior Edoardo Del Cadia had four points, eight rebounds, a block and a steal.

The Titans (0-8, 0-2 HL) trailed by 13, 50-37, with 11:39 left when they started to chop away at the score. A jumper by sophomore Marcus Tankersley and a free throw by Stone had the Titans down 51-42, at the 9:47 mark.

Later on, Detroit Mercy went on a 7-0 run to pull within five, 54-49. Toatley started that with a three before the defense forced two straight steals. Redshirt freshman Abdullah Olajuwon came away with one and finished it with a layup, and then senior Kyle LeGreair took the ball away, leading to another Olajuwon bucket with 7:01 remaining.

The Titans almost had the comeback as they got within two, 58-56, with 2:55 left. Tankersley hit a jumper, and Toatley rang in a three, but Cleveland State (6-3, 1-1 HL) ended the game on an 11-2 spurt.

Tankersley ended the contest with six points and five rebounds. Olajuwon had four points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal, and sophomore Tyree Davis recorded five points, a career-high five caroms and a block. 

Detroit Mercy shot 42.3% from the field and was 8-of-20 from three, while holding the Vikings to 35.1% shooting and 5-of-15 from deep. 

The Titans will now head back into non-conference play as they welcome Ball State into Calihan Hall on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m., and fans can purchase tickets here. 

Game Notes:

• The Titans still lead the all-time series, 47-30, but are now 14-23 on the road in the series, dropping 12 of the last 15
• Detroit Mercy is 14-30 all-time in HL road openers
• The Titans have not hit double-digit 3-pointers in all eight games this year, the longest streak since going eight straight at one point during the 2016-17 campaign
• Stone has now played in 21 career games with the Titans and has netted 20 or more 10 times, been in double figures 16 times, and has grabbed five or more rebounds on 15 occasions, including all eight games this year
• Stone's five 3-pointers were the most since hitting six at NKU last season
• It was the fourth time this year that Stone has played all 40 minutes
• Del Cadia has grabbed at least five rebounds in seven of the eight games this season
• Del Cadia's season high in rebounds is 10 at Ole Miss
• Toatley was back in double figures for the first time since scoring 11 at Cincinnati
• Davis just had four rebounds against Oakland 

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