DETROIT, Mich.—
Shawntez Patterson and
Josh Freelove had 14 points each, but it was not enough as the Hornets dropped an 81-68 decision at the University of Detroit Mercy.
For the third time this season the Hornets actually outshot their opponents as they shot 50 percent from the field compared to UDM's 40, but the Hornets 20 turnovers and the ability of UDM to get to the free throw line led to the Hornets demise.
UDM was able to score 22 points off 20 ASU turnovers and also hit 19 of their 24 (79 percent) free throws. Meanwhile ASU only got to the free throw line 12 times and only hit six of those. UDM did a much better job of taking care of the ball as they only committed nine turnovers.
Denzel McDaniel came off the bench to score 11 points and
Luther Page scored 10.
ASU out rebounded UDM 42-35 with Page's team and game-high nine rebounds leading the way. Patterson added eight rebounds and McDaniel had six.
Just like the previous games, ASU was right with UDM before the home-standing Titans went on a second half run to put the game away. A three-pointer from Patterson had ASU only down 52-50 with 13:17 left in the game. UDM then went on a 11-0 run to push the lead out to 63-50 with 10:09 left in the game and the closest ASU would get after that would be nine points (65-56) with eight minutes left.
Nick Minnerath led UDM with a game-high 22 points and Juwan Howard, Jr., added 16. UDM's leading scorer Ray McCallum had 15, which is five points below his average.
“Our offense just got bad in the second half,” Head Coach
Lewis Jackson said. “We took ill-advised shots and we tried to do too much which caused too many turnovers and they would get run outs and knock down some shots.”
“We had missed assignments and had a lack of communication. We wanted to take away the three, but they were able to make a few. We competed, but not for 40 minutes.”
Despite out shooting the Titans in the first half 46 percent to 28 percent the Hornets trailed 39-36 at halftime. The difference was at the free throw line where the Titans hit 12 of 13 free throw attempts and the nine turnovers ASU committed that led to another six points.
In contrast, the Hornets only shot four free throws hitting three and UDM only committed three turnovers.
Freelove led the way with 12 points on five of eight shooting and ASU out rebounded UDM 26-22 with Patterson leading the way with five.
Minnerath had 10 first half points for UDM to lead the Titans.
“I thought we came out and played a really aggressive first half and was out rebounding them at the end of the first half,” Jackson said. “We were really moving the ball well and playing good offense and good defense. We did a good job of pressuring the ball, but we continue to tell the guys you have to compete for two halves. You can't do it for 25 minutes and you can't do it for 30 you have to do it for the whole game.”
With the loss the Hornets fall to 0-7 on the season while the Titans move to 5-4.
“There are a lot of positives that we can take away from this game as we continue to move forward,” Jackson said. “Getting some guys back will help us as they get some more time in. The older guys will be playing more minutes so that way the younger guys don't have to play as many as they did in the first five or six games. We are on the right track and once the guys learn they have to compete for 40 minutes some positive things will start to happen.”
ASU will be back home for only the second time this season when they host Troy University Thursday Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
