Box Score

Despite letting a 14-point halftime lead slip away, the UDM men's basketball team was able to regroup and hold off Chicago State, 68-67, on Monday night in a non-conference match-up at the Jones Convention Center. The win snapped Detroit's (5-14) seven-game losing streak and gave UDM its first victory outside of the state of Michigan in nearly two years, with the last win coming on Feb. 17, 2007, a 92-84 victory at Buffalo.

Detroit led from the 15-minute mark in the first half until David Holston's 3-pointer with just 1:35 left in the game that put the Cougars (11-10) up by one, 62-61. On the next Titan possession, senior Tryl Hartfield (Wyoming. MI/Rogers) connected on two free throws to get Detroit back on top by one, but CSU came right back with a John Cantrell basket to regain the one-point advantage, 64-63, with just 51 seconds left in the game.

After head coach Ray McCallum called a timeout, junior Thomas Kennedy (Detroit, MI/Southeastern) got inside and was fouled, but still managed to get a lay-up off a great post feed from freshman Donavan Foster (Chicago, IL/Curie). He then made his free throw to put UDM in front for good, 66-64, with 33 ticks left on the clock. Senior Chris Hayes (Chicago, IL/Mt. Carmel) would nail two from the charity stripe the next time down the court to seal the victory, even with Chicago State hitting a desperation three with a second left in the game.

Kennedy was the Titans' top scorer with a season-high 24 points and nine rebounds. Junior Eulis Stephens (Detroit, MI/Southeastern) netted a season-best 17 points in just 24 minutes of action, while junior Nemanja Jokic (Sombor, Serbia/Mechanical) and Hayes ended the contest with six points apiece. UDM shot 48% for the game and got to the free throw line 39 times converting on 27.

Detroit held Chicago State to just 67 points, 14 points below its season average and 36 points less then the 103-point showing the Cougars had their last time out. The Titan defense also forced 21 CSU turnovers and had seven blocks in the game. Chicago State was also whistled for 30 fouls and had four players foul out of the game

The Titans came out on fire to start of the game, connecting on six of their first seven shots en route to an early 15-11 lead. Detroit then extended its lead scoring eight of the next 10 points as Kennedy hit two straight baskets, including a three, while junior Jason Bennett (Jacksonville, FL/Arlington) chipped in with a bucket and a free throw to put UDM up by double digits, 23-13, at the 7:54 mark.

The Cougars would cut the deficit to just six, 25-19, with just over six minutes left, but Detroit ended the first half on a 12-4 run to take a 14-point advantage, 37-23, into the locker room.

CSU started the second half on an 11-2 spurt to trim the UDM margin to five, 39-34, just four minutes into the period. From there on, the Titans never held more then a six-point lead, with CSU eventually jumping out in front with just under two minutes to go.

The red, white and blue will now head back into conference play as the Titans take on their Ohio counterparts later this week. On Thursday, Detroit will face Cleveland State at 7:30 p.m., followed by a contest at Youngstown State on Saturday.