Detroit, Mich. – Four players scored in double figures and the Penguins held off a late surge as the Youngstown State men's basketball team knocked off Detroit Mercy, 84-79, on Thursday evening at Calihan Hall.

The Penguins improve to 13-5 overall and 5-2 in the Horizon League while Detroit Mercy fall to 6-12 overall and 2-5 in league play.

Brandon Rush led the Penguins with 19 points and made five 3-pointers while Adrian Nelson had 16 points and Malek Green and Bryce McBride each added 12 points.

William Dunn scored nine points on 4-for-4 shooting from the field, including a clutch second-half 3-pointer.

Youngstown State shot 53.3 percent from the field, including 57.7 percent in the second half, and made 11 3-pointers.

Antoine Davis led the Titans with 32 points while Gerald Liddell had 24 points.

After a slow start, Youngstown State scored the last eight points of the first half to take a 10-point lead into the lockerroom, and boosted its lead to as many as 14, 65-51, after 3-pointer by Garrett Covington at the 10:42 mark of the second half.

Youngstown State held a 12-point lead with just under five minutes left before the Titans scored six straight to cut the Penguins lead to 76-70.

Rush hit a 3-pointer to push the Penguins lead back to nine, 79-70, with 2:44 remaining.

The Titans used a 9-2 run over the next 2:15 to cut the Penguins lead down to two, 81-79, with 29 seconds left.

McBride made a pair of free throws and Green split a pair of charity tosses to seal the win.

Detroit Mercy jumped out to a seven-point lead within the first five minutes of the game and owned a 13-6 advantage at the 14-minute mark of the game.

A 3-pointer by Rush, a basket by Dunn and a 3-pointer by Covington cut the Titans lead down to one, 15-14, with 11:59 to go.

Detroit Mercy pushed its lead back to five, 19-14, but the Penguins went on an 11-5 run to take its first lead of the game, 25-24, after a 3-pointer by Nelson with 6:59 remaining. A hook shot by Green and a dunk by Rush pushed the Penguins lead to 29-24 with 5:26 to go.

The Titans battled back within two, 32-30, but a layup by Green and two 3-pointers by Rush keyed an 8-0 run to give Youngstown State a 40-30 lead at the intermission.

Youngstown State visits Oakland, Saturday, Jan. 14. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. at the Athletics O'Rena in Rochester, Mich.