Detroit — Just how many answers did Detroit Mercy have for Kendrick Nunn?
Ummm ... Nunn. Feel free to groan.
After all, that’s what Titans fans did just about every time Nunn touched the ball Saturday afternoon at Calihan Hall. Oakland’s star transfer, second in the nation in scoring, finished with a career-high 38 points in a 92-86 victory before an announced crowd of 3,257.
Nunn is averaging 26.4 points for the season, his only season playing for Oakland (13-8, 5-3 Horizon League), which has won four straight with two tough ones coming up next week, at Northern Kentucky and at Wright State.
In 11 games since returning from a bad rolled-ankle injury, Nunn, a former star at Illinois, is averaging 29.5 points.
Another Big Ten transfer, former Michigan Wolverine Kameron Chatman, scored 24 for Detroit Mercy (6-15, 2-6), as did freshman Corey Allen.
The matchup pitted the top two offenses in the Horizon League, No. 1 Detroit Mercy and No. 2 Oakland, and it lived up to the billing, at least early. At one point in the first half, the game was on pace to be a 130-100 Oakland victory.
Oakland’s defense tightened up, led by sophomore forward Isaiah Brock, who finished with five blocks and 12 rebounds. He got a breather after one inspired stretch late in the first half, and a high-five from coach Greg Kampe, a sight you don’t see every day from the perfectionist Kampe.
Despite a 50-29 halftime deficit, Detroit Mercy made a little surge late, getting within 79-68 with 3:35 remaining, until Martez Walker was fouled on a 3-pointer, and made all three.
Then it became the Allen and Nunn show, as a one-time rout turned into a nailbiter.
Allen responded with a 3-pointer and a foul, making the free throw to make it a 10-point game.
After Walker broke the Detroit Mercy press and went right down the lane for a layup, the last of his 18 points, Allen hit a pair of free throws to cut Oakland’s lead to 85-77 with about a minute-and-a-half left. The Golden Grizzlies opened the door with two ill-advised shots early in the shot clock.
The Titans then got a stop as Nunn wore the shot clock down but missed his shot, and freshman Jermaine Jackson Jr. hit a quick 3-pointer to make it 86-80 with 26.8 seconds left. After two Nunn free throws, Allen hit a 3-pointer to cut it to five with 19 seconds left. Rinse and repeat.
Allen drained another 3-pointer with 13.8 seconds remaining to make it 90-86, before Nunn made two more free throws — finishing 6-for-6 from the line. Allen’s last heave was off the mark, and that was that.
Oakland improved to 7-2 in the series since joining the Horizon League, including three consecutive wins at Calihan Hall.
Roschon Prince — a graduate transfer from Long Beach State who’s stepped up big time in the absence of Jaleel Hogan, out the last four games and along with Tariiq Jones for what’s believed to be academic issues — had 13 points and six rebounds for the Titans. Chatman added 10 rebounds.
Redshirt senior Jalen Hayes added 17 points for Oakland.
Freshman James Beck returned to the court for Oakland after missing several games with stress fractures in his leg. He played six minutes and had one steal and one turnover.
Detroit Mercy also plays at first-place Wright State and second-place Northern Kentucky next week. Those two teams swept their trips to Metro Detroit this month, sweeping Oakland and Detroit Mercy.
Vowels on leave
Detroit Mercy athletic director Robert Vowels has been noticeably absent from sporting events lately. A spokesman confirmed he has taken a personal leave of absence to tend to a death in the family.
He’s expected to be back to work Monday.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
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