Mike Davis ended his sixth and final season as the Titan head coach in 2023-24. In his six years, 12 players have gone on to play professionally.
Antoine Davis graduated in 2022-23 as a two-time HL Player of the Year, AP Honorable Mention All-American and Third Team All-American By USBWA, as he led the nation in scoring at 28.2 points per game, total points at 930, and with 4.82, 3-pointers per game, third in NCAA history. All three marks were Horizon League records, while the 930 points and 4.82 triples per game were both school records. He became just the second Titan to ever lead the nation in a statistic.
As his career came to an end, he left the University holding four NCAA records in total 3-pointers (588), 3-pointers by a freshman (132), consecutive games in double figures (144) and total games in double figures (144). His 3,664 career points are second in NCAA history, just three shy of Pete Maravich’s record 3,667, while his 1,219 field goals are sixth all-time in the NCAA record book. Davis’ 4.08, three-point field goals per game are also third all-time in NCAA history, and he is also the only play to ever post 3,500 points and 500 assists in a collegiate career.
This past season, the Titans were eighth in the nation with 10.2, 3-pointers per game, 11th in three-point field-goal percentage (38.6%), eighth in offensive rebounds per game (13.12) and 60th in offense (76.6), while setting a school record with 338 triples.
In 2021-22, the Titans posted a winning record in conference play at 10-7 in the Horizon League, the first back-to-back winning campaigns in league action since 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. The red, white and blue were also selected to play in The Basketball Classic postseason tournament as the Titans finished sixth in the regular season and defeated Green Bay in the first round for a second-straight season with a triumph in the HL conference tournament. Detroit Mercy also saw Antoine Davis named the Co-Horizon League Player of the Year, a Lou Henson award finalist and All-American, USBWA All-District V and NABC First Team All-District 12 on the court and a HL All-Academic and a CoSIDA Academic All-American, the first in school history.
As a team, the Titans led the Horizon League and were seventh in the nation with 10.4, 3-pointers per game, topped the conference and 24th in the country in three-point field-goal percentage (37.4%) and committed the fewest turnovers in the HL at 11.6 per game, 82nd in the country. They were also second in the conference and 14th in the nation in free-throw percentage (77.6%). Six Titans were also named to the AD's Honor Roll, while four student-athletes were named to the HL Fall Academic Honor Roll.
In his third year in 2020-21, guided the team up the Horizon League standings and a win in the Horizon League Championship. In the classroom, the Titans finished the 2020-21 season with their third-straight semester of a cumulative 3.0 GPA posting a 3.259 in the spring of 2021.
The Titans recorded their first winning season since 2015-16 as the red, white and blue finished the year at 12-10 overall and 10-6 in the Horizon League. The 10 wins in league play were the most since going 12-4 in 2012-13, while the win in the first round of the HL Championship was the first postseason victory since 2015-16. Three Titans earned awards as Matt Johnson was named the Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year, Bul Kuol was selected third Team All-Horizon League and Davis was First Team All-HL, an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American, Lou Henson award finalist and All-American and NABC First Team All-District 12.
Statistically, the Titans were also top 100 in the nation in a number of areas, including fifth in both 3-point field goal percentage (39.1%) and free-throw percentage (80.4%) and 10th in 3-point field goals per game (10.2). They also ranked 11th in least fouls per game (14.3), 50th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.25), 52nd in total 3-pointers (225), 56th in field goal percentage (46.4%) and scoring offense (76.5%), 60th in least turnovers per game (11.5) and 89th in assists per game (14.3).
In his second season in 2019-20, the Titans finished with eight wins and six in Horizon League play, while he guided the program through an APR postseason ban and a young squad featuring eight underclassmen. The six wins included a victory over eventual conference champion NKU and could have been more as six conference losses came by just 16 points for the young Titans.
The 2019-20 Titans also led the conference and finished ninth in the nation in free throw percentage at 78.2 percent, a new school record. The team topped the HL with 8.5 triples per game, 54th in the country, as well as with 263, 3-pointers, 66th in the nation.
Detroit Mercy was picked to finish last in the league in the preseason poll in 2018-19, but Detroit Mercy notched 11 wins on the year and seven in conference play to qualify for the postseason. Led by star guard and son Antoine Davis, the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and First Team All-League, Detroit Mercy won the Gotprint.Com Legends Classic Subregional Championship game, presented by Old Trapper, with wins over Loyola Maryland and Bowling Green and had wins against conference co-champion Wright State and CollegeInsider.com Invitational Tournament finalist Green Bay.
Davis was named the 22nd head coach in program history on June 13, 2018, as he is on a path to take the program back to championship heights.
"After an extensive search that included multiple high-quality candidates, we are pleased to have Mike Davis join us as our new men's basketball head coach," said Detroit Mercy Director of Athletics Robert C. Vowels, Jr. "Mike has achieved great success as a coach and leader of young men, and as an individual, he reflects the values upon which our University is built. I am confident he will help return Titan basketball to a championship level."
Davis came to Detroit Mercy from Texas Southern University, where he spent six seasons building the Tigers into a perennial power in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) with five postseason tournament appearances, including four NCAA Tournaments. For his efforts, he was named the SWAC Coach of the Year on three occasions. Texas Southern also had a team GPA of 3.0 and had four consecutive semesters of a perfect 1000 APR score.
"Coach Davis has not only proven that he can win on the basketball court, but he has also demonstrated that his players can excel in the classroom, as demonstrated by his team GPA of 3.0, four consecutive semesters of a perfect 1000 Academic Progress Rate and graduation of 18 of 20 players over his last six years at his previous institution. I am confident that his motivation and inspiration will energize the entire university and the city of Detroit," said Detroit Mercy President Dr. Antoine Garibaldi.
A high school basketball star in the state of Alabama, Davis played collegiately at the University of Alabama before embarking on a professional career. His coaching resume includes more than 20 years of experience. This includes 18 years of head coaching experience, building a 352-241 record with 14 postseason trips, nine appearances in the NCAA Tournament and guiding Indiana to a national championship runner-up effort in 2002. His squads have recorded at least 20 wins nine times, while posting a winning record in 14 of his 18 campaigns.
"First and foremost, I'd like to thank God for this opportunity," said coach Davis. "I'd also like to thank the President Dr. Antoine Garibaldi, and Director of Athletics Robert Vowels, Jr. for entrusting me with their men's basketball program. I am enthusiastic and optimistic about its future. My family and I look forward to getting to know the city of Detroit as well as the students, faculty, administration, alumni, donors and fans."
In his six seasons at Texas Southern, he posted a 115-89 (.564) record, including an 88-20 mark in conference play. His teams won four regular-season titles and four conference tournament championships advancing to four NCAA Tournaments. In his final season at the helm of TSU, the Tigers won their first-ever NCAA Tournament game defeating North Carolina Central in the First Four.
Under his leadership, five Tigers were named the SWAC Player of the Year, a feat which had never occurred in the league and was the fourth-longest streak in the history of the NCAA. In addition, 11 earned All-League honors, three were tabbed the Defensive Players of the Year, two were selected the Newcomer of the Year and one was picked the Freshmen of the Year.
He started his collegiate head-coaching career at Indiana University from 2000-06 after serving as an assistant coach for three seasons under legendary head coach and Hall-Of-Famer Bobby Knight.
At IU, he compiled a 115-79 record, 55-41 in the Big Ten, and led the Hoosiers to five postseason tournaments, including a run to the NCAA Championship game in 2002. Davis' teams played some of their best basketball during the postseason tallying a 21-12 record in the month of March and a 7-4 NCAA Tournament mark.
He was named the 25th head coach in Indiana history on Sept. 12, 2000, succeeding Knight, and had the most successful first season of any of his 24 predecessors going 21-13 and finishing fourth in the Big Ten at 10-6. His 21 wins were four more than any other first-year IU head coach. He was also the first coach in Indiana history to open his tenure with three straight 20-plus win seasons and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances as he directed the Hoosiers to a share of the 2002 Big Ten championship and an appearance in the 2002 national championship game, while also defeating 22 nationally-ranked opponents.
In his second season, the Hoosiers were 25-12 and 11-5 in the Big Ten to share the regular season title. As the No. 5 seed in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, IU downed Utah (75-56) and UNC-Wilmington (76-67) to advance to the Sweet 16. The Hoosiers then ousted top-seeded Duke (74-73) and Kent State (81-69) to move into the Final Four.
In the national semifinal, Indiana overcame a halftime deficit to move past the West Regional's No. 2 seed Oklahoma, 73-64, before falling to the East Regional's No. 1 seed Maryland, 64-52, in the title contest.
Prior to being named head coach Davis had already contributed significantly to the Indiana program. He spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach with the Hoosiers. His successful recruitment of several of the country's top prep players earned him national recognition at Indiana.
In addition to his recruiting success, he was instrumental in the development of several players including A.J. Guyton, the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player in 2000, Kirk Haston, a first-round NBA selection in 2001, and 2002 Big Ten MVP and consensus second-team All-American Jared Jeffries, who was the 11th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.
In Davis' three seasons as an IU assistant, the Hoosiers compiled a 63-32 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament all three seasons.
After Indiana, Davis was named the head coach at the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), where he led the Blazers to a 122-72 (.629) overall record with a 62-34 mark in Conference USA during his six years (2006-12).
Davis also led his teams to success off the court and in the classroom as the team had four consecutive semesters of a perfect 1000 APR score.
Davis had a highly successful season at UAB in 2010-11 leading the Blazers to the program's first-ever Conference USA regular season title. In doing so, he was named the 2011 Conference USA Coach of the Year, while also earning NABC All-District Coach of the Year accolades.
In 2010-11, Davis also guided the Blazers to an NCAA Tournament at-large berth with a record of 22-9 and a 12-4 mark in league play. UAB earned at least 20 victories in the regular season in four-straight years during Davis' tenure (2007-2012), marking the first time that feat had been in achieved in program history. The Blazers also won at least 11 conference games in each of those seasons.
Under Davis, the program clinched four consecutive postseason berths (three NITs and one NCAA Tournament). Davis subsequently etched his name in the record books as he became only the second coach in UAB history to reach 90 wins in a four-year span. The only other coach in program history to accomplish the feat was Hall of Famer Gene Bartow, who reached the pinnacle with a school-record 94 victories from 1983-87.
"Our vision in the Horizon League is to be a nationally recognized NCAA Division I conference that develops student-athletes to their fullest potential," said Jon LeCrone, former Horizon League Commissioner. "Mike is a proven winner and brings the knowledge, skill and values that our League embraces."
He started coaching at Miles College as an assistant in 1989-90 and then moved to Venezuela to work with the country's national and professional teams. He arrived back in the states to coach in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) with the Wichita Falls franchise that eventually relocated to Chicago. Davis moved with the team not only as an assistant coach, but also as a player. Despite not playing professional basketball for five years, Davis averaged 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest in 1994-95.
Davis was then an assistant coach at his alma mater from 1995-97 under David Hobbs at Alabama before taking the assistant coaching job at Indiana. The 1995-96 Crimson Tide basketball team posted a 23-10 record and advanced to the NIT Final Four.
Davis spent his collegiate-playing career with the Tide after earning the state's Mr. Basketball honor and All-America status in 1979. He was a standout for four seasons at Alabama and finished his career in the Top 25 on the Crimson Tide's all-time scoring list with 1,211 points. In his first season, he played for the legendary C.M. Newton and then spent his final three years playing under another coaching legend, Wimp Sanderson.
“I think coach Davis is a great hire. He is an experienced coach who has coached and won on every level. His veteran experience is going to be a big boost to the University. He is a coach with a wealth of knowledge and he will do a great job there,” added former Titan coach and college basketball legend Dick Vitale.
Davis averaged 10.1 points per game for his collegiate career and ranks third all-time on the school's steals list with 165. During his four seasons at Alabama, the Crimson Tide posted an 80-42 record and advanced to two NIT and two NCAA Tournaments.
Davis is married to Tamilya Davis and the couple has one son, Antoine, the 2022 and 2023 HL Player of the Year. Davis is also the father of current assistant coach Mike Davis, Jr., who was a member of the Indiana and UAB men's basketball team that he coached and was an assistant with him at Texas Southern, and he also has one daughter, Lateesha.
