DETROIT (1/6/2024) -- Sophomore
Marcus Tankersley scored 18 points to lead the Titans, but the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team fell in a tough and physical game to Milwaukee, 84-61, on Saturday afternoon.
The game featured 33 combined turnovers and 43 total fouls.
Graduate senior
Donovann Toatley had 16 points, three steals and two rebounds, while redshirt freshman
Abdullah Olajuwon registered four points, a career-tying eight rebounds, a block, steal and assist.
Detroit Mercy (0-17, 0-6 HL) trailed 13-8 when Tankersley was fouled and hit two free throws. The next time down the court, he buried a three and was fouled, connecting at the line for a four-point play to give the red, white, and blue a 14-13 lead midway through the period.
Tankersley also gave the Titans a 16-15 lead by getting inside for a layup with 6:48 left, but Milwaukee (8-8, 3-2 HL) jumped in front on the strength of a 16-4 run and led 37-28 at the break.
The Panthers then started the second half on a 14-4 spurt for a 51-32 advantage. Olajuwon would end that run with a layup inside, and later on, senior
Kyle LeGreair hit a three to make it a 53-37 contest with 14:40 on the clock.
Detroit Mercy would cut the deficit to 15 on a few occasions, the latest at 69-54 with 5:27 remaining, as Tankersley scored five-straight points, but Milwaukee would not let the home team get any closer.
Sophomore
Tyree Davis had four points, five boards, two steals and a block. LeGreair added a season-high five points, five rebounds, two steals and a block, while junior
Mak Manciel had five points.
The Titans were 10-of-14 at the free-throw line and came away with 11 steals, forcing Milwaukee into 18 turnovers.
UDM will have a week off before hosting NKU next Saturday, Jan. 13, with the opening tip set for 1:00 p.m.
Game Notes:
- Milwaukee leads the all-time series, 32-29, although the Titans have a 16-12 advantage at home in the match-up
- The Titans played without Jayden Stone, Ryan Hurst, Oton Jankovic and Trenton Johnson, who missed the game due to lingering injuries, while Emmanuel Kuac played just one minute due to an injury
- Detroit Mercy has forced double-digit turnovers in eight of its' 17 games on the season and has also recorded at least 10 steals in four games this year
- The Titans season-high for steals is 12 against Ball State
- Tankersley has now scored in double figures in 15 of the last 19 games dating back to last year
- Davis has three games with at least five rebounds and 18 of his 37 total boards in the last five games
- Manciel has a season-high five points in three of the last four games
- LeGreair also had five boards at Ole Miss
- Pink had connected on just two career 3-pointers coming into this season, both last year, but has seven this year
- Toatley was in double figures for the fourth time in the last six games and the eighth total time this season as he is tallying 12.5 points in his last six games
- Olajuwon also had eight rebounds at Ohio
