CHICAGO (1/6/2016) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team forced UIC into 23 turnovers with a season-high 10 steals on Friday night, but just couldn't get the offense going as the Titans lost a 78-64 contest on the road at the UIC Pavilion.
Junior
Jaleel Hogan led all scorers with 17 points and had a team-high four blocks. Sophomore
Josh McFolley tallied 13 points with three steals, three assists and two rebounds and freshman
Corey Allen netted 12 points along with collecting a season-high four steals.
The Titans (2-13, 0-3 HL) got off to a great start offensively and defensively causing UIC (8-7, 1-1 HL) to turn it over on its first three possessions and forcing four turnovers in the first five minutes to take a 9-2 lead early.
Allen started the scoring with a layup and then McFolley hit a trey. After a UIC basket, senior
Chris Jenkins and Hogan each scored for the early advantage.
UIC was able to recover and score 11 in a row to jump out in front. The Titans had some good looks at the basket after that, but just couldn't catch a break as the Flames extended their lead to double digits and took a 40-25 lead at the break.
The Titans were trailing by 20, 51-31, with 15:41 left when the red, white and blue started to get back in the game going on a 14-6 run over the next five minutes. McFolley had eight points in that span and his layup off a UIC turnover had the red, white and blue within 12, 57-45, with 9:42 left.
A Hogan jumper also made it a 12-point game at 59-47 with eight minutes remaining, but the Flames were able to hold off the Titan charge and increase their lead to as many as 18, 67-49, with 5:24 left. The Titans never quit and off an offensive rebound and tip-in from Hogan and a triple from senior
Patrick Robinson Jr., Detroit Mercy was down by just 10, 71-61, with 1:58 on the clock, but that was as close as it would get.
Jenkins finished with six points and a game-high eight rebounds and sophomore
Gerald Blackshear Jr. had eight points and four rebounds.
Detroit Mercy will be back in action on Sunday as the Titans visit preseason conference favorite and 2016 HL runner-up Valparaiso. Game time is set for 1 p.m. (EST) at the ARC and can be seen on ESPN3, the American Sports Network and Comcast SportsNet Chicago, which is available on select cable outlets.
Game Notes:
Detroit Mercy still leads the all-time series, 31-16… Head coach
Bacari Alexander '99 and assistant coach
Jermaine Jackson '99 helped the Titans win the 1999 Horizon League Championship, played at the UIC Pavilion… Blackshear Jr. was back after missing the last two games with an injury… Robinson Jr., has five career field goals, all 3-pointers… Hogan was in double figures for the sixth-straight games… The 23 forced turnovers were the most since forcing Milwaukee into 25 in 2012… The 10 steals were the most since posting 10 at Valparaiso last year… Detroit Mercy has posted 39 steals in the last four years.
