Box Score

Post-game press conference on Titan YouTube Channel

Four Titans scored in double figures, including a game-high 19 by senior Thomas Kennedy (Detroit, MI/Southeastern), but it was senior Eugene Blue's (Flint, MI/Northern) career-high 15 points that inspired the home crowd and the team as the Titans pushed past Youngstown State, 82-71, on Thursday night. 

“This is Horizon League time,” said head coach Ray McCallum. “We pointed towards this and we responded to some adversity. That was the story. Chase (Simon) had an off night and Eli (Holman) was not available and the other guys stepped up. “ 

With the victory, Detroit moved to 5-2, 1-0 in the Horizon League, while YSU fell to 3-4, 0-1 in the HL. The win matched Detroit's best seven-game start since the 2004-05 season. The win also guaranteed all fans who attended Thursday's game to a free ticket for Saturday's contest against Cleveland State as it was a Titan “Victory Night” at Calihan Hall. 

Besides his 19 points, Kennedy grabbed six boards, playing all 40 minutes for the shorthanded Titans. Junior Xavier Keeling (Huntsville, AL/J.O. Johnson) netted 15 points and a game-high seven boards, while senior Woody Payne (Inkster, MI/Ypsilanti) added 11 points, four rebounds and five assists. 

The Titans shot a sizzling 67 percent in the game, hitting 29-of-43 field goals, while forcing 15 Penguin turnovers. Detroit did most of its damage inside, scoring 36 points in the paint and attempting just six 3-point field goals, making three of them. 

“Our field goal percentage tonight was great and that is team basketball. Our guys were getting the ball to a teammate where they could do something with it,” added McCallum. 

UDM was up by as many as 15 in the contest before Youngstown State slowly got back in the game, getting the Titan lead down to as little as three. With the score 48-45, Detroit once again went on a spurt, this time 12-3, to regain a double-digit advantage. The run was started by a three by sophomore Donavan Foster (Chicago, IL/Curie). Senior Eulis Stephens (Detroit, MI/Southeastern) then scored the next four points and Keeling and Kennedy chipped in three and two, respectively. 

The Titans would go on to extend their second-half lead to 14 points, 70-56, after sophomore Chase Simon (Detroit, MI/Community) hit his first basket of the game, a three, with 4:48 left. On the next YSU possession, Blue picked up his fifth foul and got a standing ovation from the crowd as he walked off the court, the fans appreciating the hard work as he was filling in for sophomore Eli Holman (Richmond, CA/Richmond), who missed the game and is day-to-day with a knee injury. 

The Titans would see YSU rally late to cut the lead to as little as five, 75-69, with just over a minute left, but UDM rebounded from an off night at the free throw line to hit 8-of-10 down the stretch to seal the victory. 

Both teams were racing up and down the court to start the game with YSU taking an early 10-6 advantage. The Titans rebounded with a 19-6 run to take a 25-15 advantage, a lead that they would never give up. Kennedy started the charge with three free throws and then junior Lamar Lee (Lafayette, IN/Jefferson) hit a three to put the Titans ahead for good. 

Detroit kept the clamps down on Youngstown State, holding the Penguins to 37 percent shooting in the half, while the Titans ran their lead into double digits, hitting 69 percent from the field in the stanza, as they rolled in to the locker room ahead, 39-28. 

The Titans will look for a 2-0 start in league play when the red, white and blue host Cleveland State on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. The game will be televised live on FOX Sports Detroit.