Detroit Mercy Titans Hall of Fame
For 15 seasons, coach Watson roamed the sidelines in Calihan Hall rebuilding the Titans into one of the most feared mid-major programs in the nation. He retired as the second winningest head coach in Titan history compiling a 261-198 overall record, trailing only the legendary Bob Calihan.
He had 10 winning seasons, including eight years with 18 or more victories, and reached the 20-win plateau four times. UDM posted four-straight 20-win seasons from 1998-2001 - a school record - as well as tying another school mark with 25 victories in 1998, 1999 and 2001. During those dominant years, the Titans recorded the longest home winning streak in the country, reaching 39 games at its height.
During his tenure at UDM, coach Watson's teams claimed three conference championships (1994, 1998 and 1999) and a pair of NCAA Tournament (1998, 1999) and NIT (2001, 2002) bids. Coach Watson didn't just get the Titans to the postseason, he guided them to a number of upset victories, including a win over St. John's in the 1998 NCAA Tournament – Detroit's first postseason appearance in 19 years. The following season, UDM shocked the basketball world again defeating nationally ranked UCLA in the first round.
In 2001, Detroit took its show to the Big Apple advancing to the semifinals of the NIT, chalking up some huge road wins at Connecticut and at Dayton in the process.
He was selected the MCC Coach of the Year in 1998, coached 11 different All-League players during his tenure, three conference Players of the Year (Willie Green, Jermaine Jackson and Rashad Phillips, the latter a two-time winner) and three Newcomers of the Year (Derrick Hayes, Phillips and Brandon Cotton). Three Titans in Green, Jackson and Desmond Ferguson would go on to play in the NBA and a number of others would continue there playing careers overseas, but most importantly, his players achieved a better than 90 percent graduation rate.
