Box score

STARKVILLE, Miss.-- Ravern Johnson scored a game-high 25 points to lead host Mississippi State (3-0) to an 82-76 win over Detroit at Humphrey Coliseum Monday night.  Jason Calliste led the Titan offense with 20 points, part of four UDM players in double figures.

Both offenses came out of the gate hot.  The Bulldogs hit on their first four three-point baskets and it was an 18-17 game at the first media timeout.  After three ties and five lead changes, the home team built its lead to as many as ten in the opening half and settled for a 40-32 advantage at the break.

Junior Chase Simon led the Titan offensive attack in the first 20 minutes, scoring 10 points.  UDM stayed out of foul trouble, in fact did not allow a single free throw to MSU until the 18:34 mark of the second half.  The MSU defense converged on helping keep leading scorer Eli Holman off the score sheet in the first period.

“We have to shoot better and get the ball inside," Head Coach Ray McCallum said to the media following the game. "We work well when the ball is moved from the inside out. We were outrebounded and MSU played much more physical than us. If we cannot get rebounds, we cannot score points.”

Detroit went to work on the MSU lead coming out of the locker room.  UDM made nine of its first 14 shots form the field in the opening eight minutes to close within a bucket.  Ray McCallum scored on four straight Titan possessions and the 'Dogs clung to a 57-54 advantage.

The margin ballooned back to double digits and reached its apex at a dozen on a Ravern Johnson three with 5:41 left.  Jason Calliste buried a pair of triples in front of the Titan bench and added another deep three to spark a rally in the game's final five minutes.  UDM quickly turned a 12-point deficit into a 76-73 lead for MSU with under a minute to play.  After a pair of Bulldog free-throw makes, McCallum drove to the rim and scored on a gutty play to put it back to within three with 22 seconds remaining.  

But, the Titans could draw no closer as the Bulldogs made 6-of-8 free throws in the final 28 seconds to hang on for the win.

Calliste registered a new career high with his offensive effort.  The sharp-shooter had all four Detroit three-pointers coming on just five attempts.   Despite making 7-of-10 from the floor, leading the Titans in scoring (20) and steals (3) while adding five rebounds, Calliste took the loss hard.

“I wish I would have played better," Calliste told the media.  "I feel I let my team down. I believe if I would have played to my full potential throughout the entire game we would have won it.”

Simon added 17, McCallum 16 and Nick Minnerath had 12 for the Titans.  Holman paced all players with 10 rebounds.

UDM (1-3) will now head back to the Motor City for a season-long five-game homestand.  The stretch begins with three games in three days over the Thanksgiving weekend as part of the Legends Classic.  Friday's opener features Bowling Green against Niagara at 5:00 p.m. with the Titans battling Albany at 7:30 p.m.  All Legends Classic games will have a Toys for Tots promotion.  Fans bringing a new, un-wrapped toy for donation will receive a compliementary ticket for that day's action.  For more details, click here.