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It came down to the wire as Detroit and Butler went into overtime, but sophomore Chase Simon's game tying shot fell short and junior Xavier Keeling's last-second three just rimmed out as the Titans' bid for an upset came up short falling to No. 24 Butler, 64-62, on Sunday afternoon. The game was played in front of a season-high 4,493 fans at Calihan Hall.

Simon (Detroit, MI/Community) led all scorers with a career-high 23 points. He also pulled down six rebounds. Keeling (Huntsville, AL/J.O. Johnson) had 14 points and tied his career best for the second time in three games with nine boards, while senior Thomas Kennedy (Detroit, MI/Southeastern) added 12 markers. 

The Titans (11-6, 4-2 HL) took a three-point lead in overtime as Simon's third three of the contest put Detroit ahead, 60-57. On the next possession, Keeling got inside for an easy basket, but that was followed by a 3-pointer from Butler's Gordon Hayward that tied the score. The game would still be tied, this time at 62, with 2:43 left, but neither team would score again until a jumper by Shelvin Mack with just under a minute to go. 

"I felt good shooting it," said Simon. "Coach has confidence in the guy with the hot hand and he let me get some shots when I was hitting them. I got into a good rhythm."

UDM called a timeout and Simon was able to penetrate the lane, but his shot was short and rebounded by Butler. The Bulldogs took control of the ball with 40 seconds on the clock and the Titan defense went to work as senior Woody Payne (Inkster, MI/Ypsilanti) came up with a steal with eight seconds left and he got it to Keeling, who launched his attempted game-winning 3-pointer with two seconds left in the game. 

Hayward led four Butler (12-4, 5-0 HL) players in double figures with 17 points and seven rebounds. UDM won the battle of the glass, 38-28, and held the Bulldogs to just 28 percent from behind the arc for the game. 

Detroit got to that point after rallying from a seven-point deficit early in the second half. The Titans would cut the BU lead to one possession seven times, but the Bulldogs stayed in front and were ahead by five, 52-47, with 3:41 to go. 

A pair of free throws from Keeling and Payne would get the Titans within two when Simon tied it at 53 with a basket in the lane with 47 seconds left in regulation. A free throw by Butler's Willie Veasley gave BU a one-point advantage, but then Payne excited the crowd driving to the basket and converting a layup to give UDM the lead, 55-54 with just five ticks left, but a late Titan foul put Hayward at the line, where he split a pair to send the game into overtime. 

Neither team shot the ball well in the first half as Butler was at 30 percent from the field, while Detroit was at 27 percent. The Titans were down early, 5-2, but a quick 9-2 run gave UDM a 13-7 advantage with 12:56 to go. Detroit maintained the lead for the next eight minutes until a pair of free throws by BU's Hayward and a Mack three ignited a 9-3 spurt gave the visitors a 23-30 lead at the half. 

UDM will now hit the road for a pair of league games in Wisconsin starting with Milwaukee on Thursday. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. (EST).