DETROIT (2/17/2024) -- Senior Jayden Stone scored a game-high 27 points and the Titans kept chipping away, but Purdue Fort Wayne was too strong as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team fell 83-69 on Saturday.

At halftime, the Titans honored late Hall-Of-Famer Earl Cureton '11 with a video tribute as well as handed out its annual John Conti Letterman of Distinction Award.

Stone was 8-of-17 from the field with six rebounds and a steal. Sophomore Marcus Tankersley netted 17 points with a career-high eight assists and three boards, and graduate senior Edoardo Del Cadia posted 11 points, five boards, three helpers, a block and a steal.

The Mastodons (17-10, 8-8 HL) led by 18 points, 56-38, with 16:14 to go in the second half when Detroit Mercy (1-27, 1-16 HL) went on a 16-2 offensive charge over the next five minutes to make it a four-point game. The Titans were 6-of-8 shooting in that stretch with a pair of 3-pointers and held Purdue Fort Wayne to 1-of-6 from the field with two turnovers.

Stone started the run with a three and that was followed by a layup from Tankersley. After a Mastodons' basket, Stone went inside for two and Del Cadia slipped to the hoop for a basket. Stone then scored six in a row as his final points were off a steal from senior Kyle LeGreair and he finished it with a layup to pull the squad within four, 58-54, with 10:37 left.

Purdue Fort Wayne would score seven in a row after that to open a double-digit lead again, but a basket by Tankersley cut it to nine, 65-56, with 8:15 on the clock. That was as close as the red, white and blue would get.

Graduate senior  Emmanuel Kuac had five points and tied for the team lead with six rebounds and junior Tobin Schwannecke netted five points for the second-straight game.

The Titans shot 52.2% from the field (24-of-46) and were 17-of-22 (77.3%) at the line. 

Purdue Fort Wayne scored the first five points of the contest, but Detroit Mercy was right there with them and trailed 35-32 with four minutes left in the first. UDM got behind at the break, 46-36, and Purdue Fort Wayne led by as many as 18 early in the second period. 

The Titans will conclude their three-game homestand on Thursday, Feb. 22, when the red, white and blue host Wright State at 7:00 p.m. 

Tickets start at just $10 and can be purchased by clicking here.  

Game Notes:

• Purdue Fort Wayne took the season series and now leads the all-time match-up 6-5, but UDM leads at home, 4-3
• The Titans have struggled on offense but have picked it up in the last 11 games, averaging 72.9 points after tallying just 60.1 in their first 17 games. 
• Detroit Mercy has registered double-digit assists in eight of the 11 games
• UDM has shot over 46.0% in six straight games and 12 times on the season
• The Titans have made double-digit free throws in 18 of the last 22 games, going 278-of-375 (74.1%) in that span and are fifth in the HL in free-throw percentage at 72.5%
• Stone now has 13, 20-point efforts on the year and came into the game leading the Horizon League in scoring at 20.7 points, 24th in the nation
• Stone has at least five rebounds in 18 games on the season
• Stone has now played in 35 career games with the Titans and has netted 20 or more 18 times, been in double figures 28 times, grabbed five or more rebounds on 25 occasions and recorded three double-doubles
• Tankersley has now scored in double figures in 25 of the last 30 games and is tallying 16.1 points on the year - eighth in the HL - and shooting 44.8% from the field - 12th in the conference
• Tankersley's previous high in assists was six at Wright State
• Del Cadia has now scored in double figures in 13 games and has grabbed at least five rebounds in 16 
• Kuac's season high in rebounds is eight at Milwaukee
• LeGreair now has a steal in 12 of the last 15 games and 18 on the season
• Schwannecke has hit a three in two-straight games and has three in his career
• Schwannecke's 25 minutes were a Titan best and they trail only the 32 against Northwood in 2001 as a member of Grand Valley State

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