McDonald leads Northern Kentucky past Detroit Mercy

Jan 5, 2019, 08:35 pm

DETROIT -- Drew McDonald scored 23 points to lead six players in double figures and Northern Kentucky breezed to a 95-73 victory over Detroit Mercy on Saturday.

McDonald sank 8 of 11 shots to help the Norse (13-4, 3-1 Horizon League) shoot 57 percent for the game. McDonald added five rebounds and three assists. Tyler Sharpe scored 20, hitting five 3-pointers as Northern Kentucky shot 44 percent from distance (12 of 27). Dantez Walton made three 3s and scored 13, Zaynah Robinson pitched in with 12 points and four assists and freshman Trevon Faulkner scored 10. Jalen Tate came off the bench to contribute 11 points, eight assists and seven boards.

Antoine Davis' 3-pointer pulled the Titans (6-10, 3-1) into a 34-all tie with 2:55 left in the first half, but McDonald had a 3-point play to key a 9-2 run to close out the half and the Norse led 43-26. Robinson opened the second half with a 3 to push NKU's lead to double digits and the Norse were never threatened from there.

Davis, a freshman guard and the son of Detroit Mercy coach Mike Davis, topped the Titans with 33 points. Davis came into the game averaging 26.9 points per game, second in the nation to Campbell's Chris Clemons' 29.5 average. Derrien King added 14 points and six rebounds.