DETROIT, Mich. – Northern Kentucky University Norse men's basketball took on Detroit Mercy on Friday night, looking to bounce back after dropping three of its last four contests. In a rematch of a game the Norse dominated just a few weeks prior, the Titans flipped the script and controlled the game against NKU, shooting 60 percent from deep and commanding the defensive glass.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky - 77, Detroit Mercy - 90
LOCATION: Calihan Hall - Detroit, Mich.
RECORDS: Northern Kentucky: 14-9, 6-6 HL | Detroit Mercy: 9-12, 6-6 HL

BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN
– Detroit Mercy pulled ahead in the first half thanks to a 20-0 scoring run from the 15:30 to the 10:18 mark, avalanching the Norse for the second time this season. The Titans then put together a similar run in the second half, going on a 16-0 scoring run from the 17:48 mark to the 11:51 ticker in the second period. The latter run increased their lead to a game-high 23, though the Norse slowly chipped away to get it down to seven with six minutes to go. The Titans held steady down the stretch, though, as the Norse never got closer than seven. 
– NKU shot just 39.7% from the field, 27.0% from three, and 17-27 from the free throw line in the game. Detroit Mercy came out firing from the field, shooting 55.6% from the field and 60% from three, with the Titans' Tyler Spratt shooting a lights-out 8-10 from deep. The Titans shot 18-28 from the line, with 19 of those attempts coming in the second half.
– The Titans dominated the defensive glass, posting 30 defensive rebounds to NKU's 18, and winning the rebound battle 41-32 overall. 
– Northern Kentucky took the turnover battle, 15-8, and scored a remarkable 29 points off those turnovers. 
– Donovan Oday posted yet another remarkable game in a loss for the Norse, his third 30-plus point performance since the calendar turned to 2026. He finished with 33 points on 11-19 shooting and 5-11 shooting from deep, five rebounds, and a pair of assists. 
– Dan Gherezgher put up 20 points on 7-14 shooting and 5-10 shooting from downtown, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out a team-high four assists. 
– LJ Wells was the only other Norse in double-figures with ten points, but finished with a season-low one rebound. 

UP NEXT
– NKU wraps up play in Michigan on Sunday, taking on Oakland. 

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