Game Notes at Butler

FOX Sports Detroit Webcast

Horizon League Network

CSTV Gametracker

In a tie for second place in the Horizon League, the final stretch drive of the conference season begins with a road trip as the Titans make their way to Indianapolis to take on No. 23/15 Butler on Thursday in a televised game on FOX Sports Detroit.

Dan Dickerson will call the game live while and former Titan standout Earl Cureton will handle the color. Fans can also catch the broadcast online at FoxSportsDetroit.com as well as through the Horizon League Network. CSTV's gametracker will also provide live stats for the contest.

The last time these two teams met, the game went into overtime with two key plays leading to Butler's 64-62 win. First with Detroit up 55-54, junior Xavier Keeling was called for a foul with just under a second left and Gordon Hayward split a pair of free throws to tie it. In the extra session, senior Woody Payne came up with a steal with eight seconds left and Keeling hoisted a game-winning three that just rimmed out.

The Titans (14-8, 7-4 HL) are coming off a sweep of Loyola and UIC last weekend with sophomore Chase Simon doing most of the work. The reigning Horizon League Player of the Week as well as the Jesuit Player of the Week, Simon averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the two victories, coming away with 30 markers against the Ramblers and a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds against the Flames.

Butler (18-4, 11-0 HL) comes into the tilt having won 10 in a row. The Bulldogs are a perfect 8-0 at home this season and have won 65 of their last 71 games at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Hayward tops the team in scoring (16.1) and rebounding (7.8), while Shelvin Mack is averaging 15 points and 3.4 assists per game.

DETROIT VS. BUTLER
Butler has won seven in a row and nine of the last 10 games and lead the all-time affair, 40-27.

The Titans are also 8-22 all-time at Hinkle Fieldhouse and have dropped their last 10 games there. The last time UDM won at Butler was a 62-52 win on Feb. 13, 1999. Two of the Titans' newest Hall-of-Famers were a big key to the victory as Jermaine Jackson had a game-high 19 points and eight rebounds, while Rashad Phillips netted 17.

Overall, the last victory in the series came on Feb. 25, 2006, when the Titans won a thrilling 73-71 game at home on a Jon Goode basket with less than two seconds left in the game.

REMEMBER THIS
The last time Detroit defeated a ranked team on the road was on Feb. 6, 1979, when the Titans stunned #8 Marquette, 64-63, on a Terry Duerod 21-foot jumper with just under two seconds left in the game.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE
Detroit has dropped its last 15 games against ranked opponents. In fact, the last time UDM defeated a ranked team was on Jan. 10, 2002, when the Titans earned a 63-54 triumph over #23/24 Butler at home.

The last time the Titans were victorious over a top 15 team was when the 12th-seeded Titans shocked fifth-seeded, and No. 15, UCLA, 56-53, on March 12, 1999, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

AND THE HL POW GOES TO CHASE
Sophomore Chase Simon was named the Horizon League's Player of the Week on Monday, the second time in three weeks he has received the honor. 

Simon averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists as the Titans defeated Loyola and UIC to move into a tie for second place in the Horizon League standings with Wright State. 

He shot 50 percent (17-of-34) from the field and was 11-for-12 at the line, while posting his second 30-point game of the season with 30 against the Ramblers, and his second double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds vs. UIC.

TITANS CLEANING THE GLASS
The Titans have won the battle of the boards in 12 straight game, including a +10 margin over Butler (38-28), +16 at Milwaukee (47-31) and a +12 effort (38-26) their last time out against UIC. 

UDM is currently tied for first in the Horizon League in rebounding at 36.9 per game and own a conference best +5.0 rebounding margin.