NIAGARA, N.Y. (11/29/2025) -- Junior London Maiden tallied a season-high 16 points and eight rebounds as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team clipped the Niagara Purple Eagles, 70-66, on the road on Saturday.

Maiden was 5-of-7 from the field and 6-of-8 at the line and also came up with a big block at the end of the game. Senior Orlando Lovejoy had 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, and a key steal in the second half, while freshman Lance Stone tied his season-high with 11 points, making 9-of-11 at the charity stripe.

The Titans (2-6) led by as many as 12 in the first half and 10 in the second, but had to hold off a few Niagara (2-5) charges.

Detroit Mercy was ahead by just two, 55-53, when Stone connected on two free throws before senior Legend Geeter got inside for a score to push the advantage to 59-53 with 5:53 remaining. Lovejoy then came away with a steal, and that led to a layup from junior Ayden Carter and a 61-53 lead with 3:14 on the clock. 

The next time it was a one-possession game at 61-58, Maiden sank two free throws at the 1:25 mark. Lovejoy also nailed a jumper to make it 65-60 with 33 seconds left. 

With 10 seconds on the clock, UDM was up 66-63 when Niagara was driving to the rim, but a block by Maiden ended that, and Stone was fouled grabbing the rebound. Stone and Lovejoy would then hit four free throws the rest of the way to seal the win.

Junior TJ Nadeau registered nine points, six rebounds, an assist, and a steal, while senior Jared Lary grabbed a season-high six boards. Geeter had seven points, four assists, and three boards, and Carter ended with seven points, three caroms, and a helper. 

The Titans dominated the glass to the tune of a 43-27 margin, which included 14 offensive rebounds leading to 14 second-chance points. UDM also shot 40.0% from the field - with just nine turnovers - and made 23-of-30 (76.7%) at the line. 

It was back and forth early on as Nadeau's three had the team up 4-3, and another triple from him had the team up 11-7 just a little more than four minutes in. 

The game was then tied at 10-10 when UDM took charge with a 10-0 run. Stone started it with a drive to the rim, and then Nadeau came up with a steal and a score. Freshman Xavier Istomin-Monroe hit two free throws, and then Lovejoy had four-straight points for the double-digit lead with 8:04 left.

Three free throws by Stone gave the red, white and blue their biggest lead in the first at 32-20. After Niagara cut it to six, Lovejoy had a basket and Maiden had four-straight points, attacking the rim for an offensive putback and then was fouled, making two from the charity stripe, as the Titans went into the break up 38-29.

The Titans will now open up Horizon League play as they host IU Indy on Wednesday, with opening tip set for 7:00 p.m., on Dick Vitale Court. 

Game Notes:

• Detroit Mercy has won the last four meetings and leads the all-time series at 6-4
• UDM is now 2-4 all-time in upstate New York, wth the other win a 33-30 tally in 1916
• Detroit Mercy is now 38-24 all-time against current members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
• The Titans have a 73-48 record all-time against New York programs
• The +16 margin on rebounds was the most against a Division I team since outrebounding Wake Forest by 17 last year
• UDM has made double-digit free throws five times this season, with a season-high 25 against Cleary
• Lovejoy now has 970 career points
• Stone also had 11 points against Cleary and at Toledo 
• Lary now has 17 games with five or more rebounds
• Geeter's career high in assists is six against Youngstown State last season
• After starting the year 3-of-13 shooting, Maiden has made 14-of-25 (56.0%) from the floor in the last five games
• Istomin-Monroe now has 18 points in his last three games, after scoring just six in his first five contests

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