Game notes vs. Loyola

Horizon League Network

Gametracker

Looking for their first season sweep in three years, the Detroit Titans will take on the Loyola Ramblers in a battle of longtime Jesuit rivals on Thursday. The game is part of a Titan doubleheader with the women hosting Youngstown State at 5:00 p.m., with the men's game to follow at 7:05 p.m. 

The Horizon League Network will have the action live for fans not able to make it to the contest, while CSTV's gametracker will also have a live stats feed of the game. Both links are located on top of the page. 

The Titans (12-8, 5-4 HL) are currently in a four-way tie for third place in the Horizon League with Cleveland State, Valparaiso and Wright State. Detroit has been through some tough luck of late, dropping three of its last four games by just two points. Sophomore Chase Simon led the Titans in scoring for the fourth straight game with 15 against Wright State and he continues to pace the team in scoring at 13.9 ppg., good for 10th in the league. 

Loyola (12-7, 3-6 HL) has been reeling themselves, having lost five of their last six games. The Ramblers were 11-2 at one point and riding a seven-game winning streak when the Titans arrived and ended that with a convincing 59-42 victory at the Gentile Center on Jan. 2. Terrance Hill leads the team in scoring at 11.9 ppg., while Andy Polka tops the team and the conference in rebounding with 9.1 boards per contest. 

The last time Detroit swept an opponent was during the 2006-07 season when UDM downed Green Bay 60-42 on the road and 76-72 at home. 

DETROIT VS. LOYOLA
One of the best and oldest rivalries in Titans' history continues when Detroit faces Loyola for the 115th time, the most games against any opponent in UDM history. The series began with a 31-13 Titan victory in 1922. 

Loyola owns a 68-46 advantage in the series, but the Titans won the first meeting of the year, 59-42 at the Gentile Center. 

The Ramblers have won seven of the last nine overall meetings, but Detroit has been victorious in 12 of the last 14 contests in the Motor City and is 26-17 at home against the Ramblers since 1933.

JESUIT MATCH-UP
Today's game is part of the nationwide Jesuit Basketball Spotlight project, using Jesuit basketball to raise awareness of Jesuit education. 

The Jesuit Basketball Spotlight project highlights more than 90 games this season between men's and women's teams from the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities across the United States. Each of the 28 is dedicated to strong academics and teaching women and men to serve others and live a faith that does justice. 

The spotlight project includes awareness announcements during these designated games and during gamecasts on radio and television; and other awareness opportunities. Jesuit, Catholic colleges and universities in the United States have more than 200,000 students currently and more than 1.7 million living alumni. 

For more information on Jesuit education in the United States, go to www.ajcunet.edu.

RECAPPING THE FIRST MEETING
Shooting close to 60 percent and outscoring Loyola 39-19 in the second half, the Titans defeated Loyola 59-42 in their first game of 2010. 

Eli Holman had 14 points, seven rebounds and tied his career high with six blocks, while senior Thomas Kennedy netted 10 points and junior Xavier Keeling had nine points and equaled his career best with nine boards. 

Loyola carried a 23-20 lead into intermission after a first half which saw neither team shoot better than 32% from the field, but things were certainly different after the Titans returned from the locker room. 

UDM held Loyola to just .259 accuracy for the game, as LU hit only five of its 25 field goal attempts in the second stanza, while Detroit outrebounded the Ramblers, 42-34.

WHO WILL WIN THE GLASS?
The game is a battle of the top two rebounding teams in the league as Loyola tops the conference in rebounding (37.2) and rebounding margin (4.9), while Detroit is second in both stats with 36.7 and 4.7, respectively.

EATMON GETTING COMFORTABLE
Junior Curtis Eatmon played a season-high 20 minutes against Wright State, scoring a season-best eight points. The junior college transfer has been working his way back into the rotation after missing the first 12 games of the season with an eye and facial injuries suffered in the Titans' first pre-season game after being hit in the face battling for a loose ball. 

He made his first appearance of the year against Shawnee State on Dec. 28, scoring four points, and has now played at least eight minutes in three straight games.