Gametracker

Horizon League Network

Off a hard fought 66-61 setback to 11th-ranked Butler its last time out, Detroit will look rebound with a win against the Valparaiso Crusaders on Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 4:05 p.m.

Denny Kapp will have the call live from Calihan Hall on WDFN-AM 1130. The game can be seen on the Horizon League Network, now in its fourth year of existence, as well as viewed with a live stats feed on CSTV's gametracker.

Detroit (6-16, 1-11 HL), for the second time this year, gave Butler all they could handle cutting a 13-point deficit to just one, 45-44, with seven minutes left, before eventually falling by five, 66-61. The Titans have three players in double figures, led by junior Woody Payne's 21 points.

ABOUT VALPARAISO
Valparaiso has lost three in a row and six of its last seven and comes into the game at 6-17, 3-9 in the Horizon League. 

Valpo is led by senior center Urule Igbavboa, who leads the team in scoring (11.8) and rebounding (5.7). Against Wright State on Thursday, Igbavboa notched a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds. 

Sophomore guard Howard Little is second on the squad with 9.3 points per game., while fellow sophomore forward Michael Rodgers is averaging 8.6 ppg., and 4.7 rpg. 

VU is eighth in the league in scoring at 59.8 ppg., while giving up 65.4 a night, seventh in the league. Always known for their shooting, the Crusaders have struggled this year from the field hitting at 40%, eighth in the HL, including just a 32% mark from the outside. 

Homer Drew is in his second stint as head coach of the Crusaders, a program that he has overseen for a total of 20 years. With 599 career victories, Drew is looking to become just the 33rd Division I head coach to reach the 600 win milestone.

DETROIT VS. VALPARAISO
While the two religious institutions are just 245 miles apart from each other, UDM and Valparaiso have met just nine times, with the Crusaders' owning a 5-4 advantage. Valpo, in their second year in the Horizon League, won the first match-up of the year, 64-41, in Indiana.

HAYES STARTING TO COME TO LIFE
Since returning from a three game suspension on Jan. 22, senior Chris Hayes has picked up his game, highlighted by his near double-double at Youngstown State on Jan. 31 (11 points and nine rebounds) followed by his season-high 18 markers against No. 11/11 Butler his last time out.
In the last three games, Hayes is averaging 13.0 ppg., and 5.7 rpg.

BLUE COMING THROUGH
Junior Eugene Blue netted a season-high 10 points against No. 11/11 Butler his last time out. Blue hit on a career best four field goals, while collecting two rebounds. 

Despite not playing in the Titans' first seven games of the year, Blue has seen action in 14 of the last 15 games. 

In the last five game, the Flint native is tallying 6.4 ppg., and 2.6 rpg.

PAIR OF TITANS AMONG HL LEADERS
UDM juniors Woody Payne and Thomas Kennedy are both among the top 10 in the Horizon League in field goal percentage. Payne is eighth at .468, while Kennedy is right behind him in ninth hitting on .462.

WOODY TURNING ON THE OFFENSE
Junior Woody Payne had his third career 20-point game with 21 markers against No. 11/11 Butler his last time out. Payne also registered 20 against Loyola on Jan. 24 as well as his career best 24 points verses Youngstown State on Jan. 1. 

In the last five games, Payne is 23-of-43 from the field (53%) averaging 12.6 ppg., 3.6 rpg., and 3.2 apg.