Horizon League Basketball: Detroit Mercy ends losing streak against Oakland

Heading into today’s Horizon League Basketball game, Oakland was looking to defeat Detroit Mercy for the fourth straight time this season. The Golden Grizzlies prior to this game have beaten the Titans 10 consecutive times with Detroit Mercy’s last victory over Oakland was in January of 2017. However, Antonie Davis and his father, the Titans head coach Mike Davis were determined to finally defeat Oakland in today’s contest.

Davis started the game making three of his first three-point attempts to get nine quick points. Detroit Mercy had an early double-digit lead before Oakland would cut it to four points with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half. The Titans Dwayne Rose Jr. would increase Detroit Mercy’s lead back to six on a nice two-hand dunk in which he was fouled on. The Golden Grizzlies would make a run and take the lead.

After a Rashad Williams three-pointer, and a Daniel Oladapo basket, Oakland would take a one-point lead. Williams wasn’t done as he hit another three to give the Golden Grizzlies their biggest lead of the game of four, being up 32-28 with just over three minutes remaining in the half.

However, the Titans Bul Kuol would make a jumper to tie the game at 32 with just under two minutes in the first half. After two made Golden Grizzlies made free throws, Davis made his fourth three of the game to give the Titans a one-point lead with under a minute remaining until the half. Rose Jr. would make a floating and running jumper to extend Detroit Mercy’s lead to three to go into halftime leading 37-34.

At halftime, Oakland’s Jalen Moore had nine points and four assists and his backcourt partner Williams had eight points. Their teammates Oldapo and Micah Parrish both had six points going into the second half. Detroit Mercy at the half was lead by Davis’s 12 points and two assists and his teammate Rose Jr. had 10 points and three rebounds. Both teams looked to kick their offense in overdrive in the second half.

The Titans Noah Waterman would make a corner three to give the Titans an early four-point second-half lead. The Golden Grizzlies Williams would respond with a corner three of his own. Waterman on the next possession would hit another three-pointer for the titans.

However, Williams would make back to back three’s on the Golden Grizzlies next offensive possessions to give him 17 points and Oakland a brief lead. Detroit Mercy’s Davis would make a nice floating shot to give the Titans back the lead at 48-45 with just over 16 minutes remaining in the game.

Waterman would hit his third three-pointer of the half to give the Titans an eight-point lead with just over 14 minutes remaining in the game. Williams made yet another three-pointer to cut the Titans lead to three. Davis would respond with a nice floating shot to give the Titans a three-point lead with the score being 55-52 with just under 12 minutes left in the second half. He would make his first three-pointer of the half and his teammate Bul Kuol would make back to back three’s to give Detroit Mercy at 10 point lead with over nine minutes remaining in the second half.

Waterman would fake a three from the corner and drive for a thunderous dunk to make the score 68-56. Oakland Moore would make a very long three with just over eight minutes remaining in the game to cut the Titans lead back to single digits. His teammate Kevin Kangu would make a three-pointer and Moore would next drive and make a contested layup and get fouled and make the free throw to make it a three-point play.  With four and a half minutes remaining, the Golden Grizzlies cut the Titans lead to five.

Moore would make a nice turnaround jumper but Davis would respond and make a layup of his own with just under four minutes to put the Titans back up five points with the score being 74-69. Williams would make two free throws to make it only a two-point Titans lead. Then with a minute remaining, two technicals were assessed to Oakland and Detriot Mercy’s Davis would make all four of his free throws. Waterman would dunk on the press breaker to put Detroit Mercy up 10 to give Detroit Mercy the much-needed victory.