NCAA Stats
INDIANAPOLIS -- The aggressive defense that Detroit has imposed for two straight seasons reached the pinnacle of Division I as the men's lacrosse team led the nation in caused turnovers in 2011 as the NCAA released its final season statistics.
The Titans averaged 11.63 caused turnovers per game in 2011, just one of three teams to tally double digits in that category ahead of Georgetown (11.50) and Yale (10.29). Last year, UDM was third in the country forcing 10.47 turnovers per contest.
As a team, Detroit was also in the top 20 in ground balls per game (15th with 32.94) and saves per game (16th with 11.63).
A number of Titan student-athletes were in the top 50 in certain categories, including four Titans who were among the nation's best and were in the top 20 in caused turnovers, ground balls, saves and goals per game.
That group was led by sophomore
Jordan Houtby (St. Catharines, ON/Holy Cross Secondary) – the MAAC LSM Of The Year - who was second in caused turnovers at 3.25 per game and 11th in ground balls picking up 6.06 per game. He trailed only Brian Karalunas (4.38) of Villanova – a senior and three time three-time USILA All-American – in the caused turnover category. His 97 GB's were also second in the MAAC behind VMI face-off specialist Stephen Robarge (132).
Sophomore
Jamie Hebden (Farmington Hills, MI/Brother Rice) was fifth in caused TO's at 2.5 per game, while his 40 total caused turnovers were the fifth-most in the country. The second team All-MAAC defender was also just outside the top 50 in ground balls scooping up 3.75 per game to rank 52nd. Junior
Jason McDonald (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Blue Point) was also inside the top 50 in caused turnovers placing 48th with 1.31 per game.
Sticking with the defense, sophomore and second team All-League goalie
A.J. Levell (Columbus, OH/Dublin Scioto) was 13th posting 11.19 saves per game. His 179 stops on the year were second in the MAAC and tied for the fourth-most in the country.
Offensively, freshman and MAAC Newcomer of the Year
Shayne Adams (St. Catharines, ON/Denis Morris) was 13th with 2.33 goals per game, while ranking 30th with a .385 shot percentage and 63rd averaging 2.73 points per game. His 35 goals led all freshmen at Division I and were second in the MAAC and tied for 13th in the country.
Rounding out the high-ranking Titans was junior
Scott Harris' (Saline, MI/Saline) 1.25 assists per game, which was good for 46th. The third-year attackmen also finished in the top 10 in the MAAC in that stat.
