Box Score

Post-Game Press Conference On Titan YouTube

Junior Xavier Keeling (Huntsville, AL/J.O. Johnson) recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and a career-best 13 rebounds, but it was another game that came down to the very end as the Titans fell to Green Bay, 64-62, on Thursday evening. 

Keeling was able to post his double-double in the first half when he had 10 points and 10 boards. He also added three assists and four steals in the contest. Sophomore Chase Simon (Detroit, MI/Community) scored 15 points, all in the second half, while senior Thomas Kennedy (Detroit, MI/Southeastern) added 15. Sophomore Eli Holman (Richmond, CA/Richmond) nearly got his eighth double-double of the season finishing with eight points and nine rebounds. 

UDM (15-11, 7-7) had the lead 60-59 with 2:56 left, but five straight points by Green Bay (16-10, 8-6) would push the Phoenix in front for good. Detroit did get within two, 64-62, and forced an errant 3-pointer by Green Bay with 10 seconds left to gain control of the ball, but could not muster a shot as time expired. 

"In the second half, Fletcher's penetration hurt us, and Cotton's two 3's were big time plays by a senior,” said head coach Ray McCallum. “We got possession with 9.2 seconds left and all we needed was a two-point basket. But we didn't even get a shot off and that was disappointing."

The Titans once again mounted a second half comeback as Detroit started chopping away at the Green Bay lead early in the stanza. Down by nine, 37-28 at the 17:53 mark, Detroit went on a mini 7-0 spurt to get right back in the game. Kennedy started the charge with a jumper and would later add a three. Keeling netted the other basket with a layup off one of his seven offensive rebounds. 

Green Bay would keep the lead for the next seven minutes, but Detroit finally tied the game as senior Woody Payne (Inkster, MI/Ypsilanti) came up with a steal and fed Simon for the layup to knot it at 46 with 10 minutes left. The Phoenix regained the lead, but another Simon layup gave Detroit its first lead since early in the first half, 49-48.

After that Titan charge was stalled, UDM would find itself down by six, 59-53, with 4:46 left, before Detroit energized the crowd with another 7-0 run started by an emphatic dunk by senior Eugene Blue (Flint, MI/Northern) off a great assist from Simon. The next time down the court, Simon nailed a triple and followed that with a jumper to give UDM a 60-59 advantage. 

Detroit rebounded from shooting 21 percent in the first half to hit 16 of its 31 shots in the second for 51 percent. The Titans also forced 17 Phoenix turnovers. 

"We held a good team to 64 points but, still, we've got to make baskets,” said McCallum. “Holding them to 64 is not a bad defensive effort.” 

The Titans will end their three-game home stand on Saturday as Milwaukee visits Calihan Hall. Game time is set for 3:05 p.m.