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Media Note: Fans can catch head coach Ray McCallum on WDFN-1130 AM tomorrow, (Tuesday, Dec. 29), at 11:35 a.m., as he joins Tom Kowalski and Chris McCosky.
Off and running with 16 straight points to start the game as well as tying a school record with 17 blocked shots, the Detroit Titans men's basketball squad got one last test before the bulk of conference play as UDM rolled past Shawnee State, 82-53, on Monday night.
The blocks tied a school record from Feb. 15, 1978, when that Detroit squad had 17 against Western Michigan. It is the highest amount by a Horizon League member this season, surpassing the eight Youngstown State had against Geneva earlier in the year.
"I wasn't happy with the way we started the game against Central Michigan last week and we really emphasized getting out of the gate,” said head coach Ray McCallum.
The game also featured the return of junior Curtis Eatmon (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Los Osos) to the line-up as the guard made his first appearance of the season after missing the first 12 contests due to an eye injury suffered in the first pre-season game. Eatmon ended the game with four points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 11 minutes of action.
Detroit (9-4) got contributions from everyone as every Titan scored in the contest. Sophomore Eli Holman (Richmond, CA/Richmond) led the way with his fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 15 rebounds, which tied a career high. He also blocked a personal-best six shots, the most in the Horizon League on the season.
Junior Xavier Keeling (Huntsville, AL/J.O. Johnson) netted 13 points and had seven boards, four assists, three blocks and two steals, while sophomore Chase Simon (Detroit, MI/Community) notched 10 markers and seven caroms.
Detroit dominated the start of the game winning the tip with Holman slamming it in off a great pass from Keeling. From there, UDM hit six of its next eight field goal attempts, combined with forcing four turnovers as well as Shawnee State missing its first six shots from the field as the Titans took a 16-0 lead.
Shawnee State (3-11) used a 15-6 spurt to get back in the game and the Bears were able to cut the Titan lead to six, 36-30, at the half.
“Our starters did a great job but our bench let them right back into the game,” said McCallum. “I challenged our starters at halftime to get our momentum back and they did a great job at the start of the second half to get us the lead back. I wasn't happy (at halftime) and I let them know that we couldn't play that way. They responded and that's the big thing."
An 11-0 run by Detroit to start the second half ended all hopes of a SSU comeback. Detroit would keep the defensive pressure on as well as its torrid shooting, Detroit shot 61% in the second stanza hitting 16 of 26 from the field, increasing its lead to as many as 33 before finishing with a 29-point triumph. It was the biggest victory margin for the Titans since defeating Western Illinois, 98-61, in 2003.
UDM owned the glass, 53-34 and had a season-high 16 steals in the contest, while forcing 24 Shawnee State turnovers. The Titans also held the Bears to 28% shooting from the field.
Detroit will now get back into conference play on Thursday as the Titans will head to Chicago to play UIC on New Year's Eve. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.
