Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue, Earl "The Twirl" That Win Was For You As Titans Down IUPUI On Valentine's Day - University of Detroit Mercy Athletics (2024)

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Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 02.14.24

DETROIT (2/14/2024) -- Sophom*ore Marcus Tankersley started the game with a layup that ignited an 11-0 run and the Titans never looked back as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team routed IUPUI, 81-66, on Wednesday night.

The triumph ended a school-record 27-game slide dating back to last season, where the last win came against Purdue Fort Wayne in the Horizon League Championship opening round. It was also the first home game played since Titan Hall-Of-Famer Earl Cureton passed away on Feb. 4.

Senior Jayden Stone tallied a game-high 25 points and a team-high six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Tankersley netted 19 points with four boards, three assists and two steals and junior Mak Manciel added 14 points and five rebounds.

Detroit Mercy (1-26, 1-15 HL) came out aggressive right from the start, as Tankersley's opening basket was followed by two free throws from Del Cadia and then a triple from Manciel. Tankersley and graduate senior Edoardo Del Cadia then added layups for the 11-0 lead just a little over two minutes into the game.

Later on, Tankersley and Stone had baskets for a 19-6 lead with 14:07 left. The margin grew to 30-13 midway through the period after Tankersley connected on three free throws and graduate senior Emmanuel Kuac and senior Kyle LeGreair added layups. It went as high as 18 in the first half as Stone hit a jumper for a 33-15 advantage as the red, white and blue went into the break up 44-29.

In the second period, Stone went back-to-back with baskets and it was 50-33 with 16:48 on the clock. IUPUI cut it to 12, 52-40, but a free throw from Manciel and a three by Stone had the red, white and blue back up by 16, 56-40, with 13:07 left. Manciel would bury a trifecta, and two free throws by LeGreair gave the Titans their biggest lead at 19, 61-42, at the 10:50 mark.

IUPUI (6-21, 2-14 HL) would try and chip away, but two free throws from Stone and then Del Cadia was able to get inside for a score and it was a 69-52. The Jaguars cut it to eight, 71-63, with 4:47 left, but the red, white and blue saw Tankersley score six points in a 10-3 run to end the game.

Del Cadia ended with nine points and tied a career-high with four steals. LeGreair had five points, four rebounds and two steals and junior Tobin Schwannecke registered a season-high five points and two boards.

Detroit Mercy shot 51.0% (25-of-49) from the field with seven triples and was 24-of-33 (72.7%) at the line. UDM won the rebounding battle, 31-22, and forced 19 turnovers with 11 steals.

The Titans will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 17, as they host Purdue Fort Wayne. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m., and there will be a special Earl Cureton recognition at halftime.

Game Notes:

• Despite being just a four-and-a-half-hour drive, the Titans and Jaguars had never faced each other before IUPUI joined the Horizon League in 2018-19 as Detroit Mercy now leads the series, 8-3, including 5-0 at home
• The Titans have struggled on offense but have picked it up in the last 10 games, averaging 74.9 points after tallying just 60.1 in their first 17 games.
• Detroit Mercy has registered double-digit assists in seven of the last 10 games
• The Titans hit a season-high 59.6% at Wright State
• Detroit Mercy has forced double-digit turnovers in 18 games this season. UDM also has at least 10 steals in six games this year
• The Titans forced Ball State into a season-high 21 turnovers with a season-best 12 steals.
• The Titans have made double-digit free throws in 17 of the last 21 games, going 261-of-353 (73.9%) in that span
• The season-high in free throws was a 25-of-26 effort at home against NKU
• The 33 free throws are the most since going 24-of-34 against Rochester on Nov. 8, 2022, a 93-65 win
• Stone now has 12, 20-point performances on the year, fourth in the league, in just 21 games played.
• Stone came into the game averaging a league-best 20.4 points, 23rd in the nation
• Stone has now played in 34 career games with the Titans and has netted 20 or more 17 times, been in double figures 27 times, grabbed five or more rebounds on 24 occasions, including 17 times this year
• Tankersley has now scored in double figures in 20 games on the season, including five straight
• Del Cadia also had four steals against Southeastern Louisiana last year
• Manciel has now scored in double figures in six games on the season, all in his last 10 games played
• LeGreair also had five points against Milwaukee
• LeGreair now has a steal in 11 of the last 14 games and 17 on the season, with multi-steal games on four occasions
• Schwannecke's career-high in points is six against Northwood when he played for Grand Valley State