Indianapolis ― This one is going to leave a mark.
Detroit Mercy's improbable flirtation with the NCAA Tournament came to a crushing end in a 66-63 loss to Wright State in the Horizon League championship game Tuesday night at Corteva Coliseum.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Titans (17-15) led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but Wright State rallied all the way back and regained a 62-56 lead on back-to-back 3-pointers by Logan Woods in the final two-and-a-half minutes.
Orlando Lovejoy looks for an open Detroit Mercy teammate in the Horizon League championship game Tuesday, March 11, 2026, at Corteva Coliseum.Orlando Lovejoy scored 26 to lead the Titans, and TJ Nadeau scored 21, including 11 early in the second half as Detroit Mercy seized control of the game. The Titans led, 49-37, with less than 10 minutes left, on a Lovejoy basket. The Titans had trailed by as many as nine early in the first half before leading 29-26 at the break.
TJ Burch scored 19 to lead Wright State, and Kellen Pickett added 17. Woods' only points were on those two 3's.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDetroit Mercy was looking for its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012.
Wright State (23-11) goes for the first time since 2022.
Check back to detroitnews.com for more on this developing story.
@tonypaul1984
Detroit Mercy in the NCAA Tournament
➤ 2012: Lost to No. 2 Kansas, 65-50 (coach: Ray McCallum)
➤ 1999: Beat No. 5 UCLA, 56-53; lost to No. 4 Ohio State, 75-44 (Perry Watson)
➤ 1998: Beat No. 7 St. John's, 66-64; lost to No. 2 Purdue, 80-65 (Perry Watson)
➤ 1979: Lost to No. 10 Lamar, 95-87 (Smokey Gaines)
➤ 1977: Beat Middle Tennessee State, 93-76; lost to Michigan, 86-81 (Dick Vitale)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement➤ 1962: Lost to Western Kentucky, 90-81 (Bob Calihan)
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Mercy men's basketball's wild run comes up just shy of NCAA Tournament
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