RALEIGH, N.C. (12/23/2023) -- Graduate senior Donovann Toatley netted a career-high 21 and sophomore Marcus Tankersley tallied 20 as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team dropped an 83-66 contest at NC State on Saturday afternoon.

Toatley also had four rebounds, an assist, and a steal on a career-tying 9-of-16 shooting, while Tankersley tied his career high, going 8-of-13 with three steals, two rebounds, and an assist. 

Graduate senior Edoardo Del Cadia recorded his second career double-double with 10 points and a career-best 12 rebounds, along with two steals and two assists. 

The shorthanded Titans (0-13) came out battling, taking a 9-2 lead just two minutes into the game. Tankersley and junior Mak Manciel had back-to-back baskets to start the game, and after senior Kyle LeGreair connected on two free throws, Tankersley knocked in a three for the seven-point lead at the 17:50 mark.

UDM took advantage of the free throw line and led 12-7 with 16:06 on the clock, but NC State went on a 16-2 run to jump in front 23-14. Del Cadia had a basket cutting to the rim and Tankersley was able to get past his defender for a layup to trim the deficit to 23-18. Detroit Mercy was within two at 25-23 with 9:02 remaining as Tankersley scored and Toatley drove to the rim for a bucket and was fouled, hitting the free throw.

The red, white and was within two again at 38-36 with under two minutes left as redshirt freshman Abdullah Olajuwon had a layup and Del Cadia had a steal and finished with a slam, but the Wolfpack scored the final five points of the half for a 43-36 lead at the break. 

NC State extended its run to 14 straight, scoring the first nine points in the second half for a 52-36 advantage. Del Cadia and Toatley drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to get the squad within 10, 52-42, at the 14:48 mark, but the Wolfpack went on an 8-0 spurt and eventually pushed their lead into the 20's.

LeGreair added four rebounds and three assists. Manciel pulled down a season-high six boards and junior Tyree Davis registered five points and two caroms. 

Detroit Mercy shot 44.8% from the field (26-of-58) and was 10-of-13 (76.9%) at the line, while outrebounding the home team, 37-33. 

The Titans will now have a few days off for Christmas break and will get back to action next week, Dec. 29, as UDM gets back into Horizon League play at IUPUI. 

Game Notes:

• Detroit Mercy was without the services of Jayden Stone - who missed his second-straight game with an injury - as well as freshman Ryan Hurst
• This was just the fourth career meeting between Detroit Mercy and North Carolina State, with the Wolfpack claiming all four games on their home court.
• The first meeting was in the postseason in the second round of the NIT in 1978, an 84-77 NC State victory, as Terry Tyler scored 19 points and John Long added 17
• The Titans have lost 14 in a row dating back to last season, the longest streak since UDM dropped 15 in a row between the end of the 1986-87 season and the start of the 1987-88 campaign
• Detroit Mercy's 11 non-conference foes came into the game with an 81-42 (65.8%) record
• Detroit Mercy won the rebounding battle for the third time this year (at Ole Miss, at Southern Illinois Edwardsville)
• The Titans have now made double-digit free throws in five straight games, going 73-of-97 (75.2%) at the line in that span
• UDM's 44.8% shooting was the highest since netting 46.4% at SIUE, giving the squad six games this year above 40.0% shooting
• The last time the Titans had a pair of players score 20 in a game was last season's win at Oakland as Antoine Davis had 30 and A.J. Oliver scored 25
• Toatley's previous high was 20 on the season opener at Toledo
• Toatley's nine field goals tied his career high with the nine he had at UT Martin as a member of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 2018
• Tankersley also had a 20-point game with 23 at Northwestern
• Dating back to last season, Tankersley has now scored in double figures in 10 of the last 14 games. 
• Del Cadia also had a double-double at Ole Miss, while his previous high in rebounds was 10 against the Rebels
• Manciel had four boards against Oakland

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