DAYTON, Ohio (1/25/2025) -- Junior Orlando Lovejoy tallied 15 points, but a slow start was too much to overcome as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team dropped a 67-50 affair at Wright State on Saturday afternoon.

Lovejoy also added four rebounds and a steal. Freshman Nate Johnson had eight points, five rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal, and junior Legend Geeter recorded seven points and four boards.

The Titans (6-16, 209 HL) saw Wright State (11-11, 5-6 HL) race out to a 16-2 lead in the first eight minutes as the red, white and blue had to play catch up.

Freshman TJ Nadeau and Johnson had back-to-back baskets to cut it to 10, and UDM had it down to nine on a few occasions, but the Raiders went into the break up 37-24.

In the second half, Wright State extended its lead to as many as 19, but the Titans fought back with nine straight points to make it a 10-point game again. Redshirt freshman Grant Gondrezick II started the spurt with a three. Lovejoy and Geeter hit jumpers, and Johnson finished it with a strong move to the rim for a layup and it was 54-44 with 6:36 left.

WSU stopped that run and UDM could not get any closer.

Nadeau ended with eight points, four rebounds, and two assists, and Gondrezick II netted five points and six caroms. Freshman Miles Mitchell grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and freshman Ryan Kalambay had three points and five boards. 

Detroit Mercy held Wright State to 37.1% from the field, but shot just 30.8%, including 1-of-10 from distance.

The Titans will head back home now for a two-game homestand, starting with NKU on Thursday. 

Game Notes:

• Wright State has won 16 of the last 18 and 23 of the last 28, as the Raiders lead the all-time battle, 42-28
• WSU has also won 11 in a row at home in the series, taking a 22-10 advantage in Dayton
• Lovejoy has scored in double figures in 15 games as well as grabbing at least three rebounds in 18 games 
• Geeter's seven points were the most since he had 10 against Robert Morris
• Nadeau has netted at least seven points in 14 of the 23 games, and also has at least four boards in eight games
• Johnson has registered 19 games with three or more rebounds
• Kalambay has 25 rebounds in the last three games after posting 46 in the first 19 
• Mitchell's seven rebounds were the most since his season-high of nine at IU Indy

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