Box Score

Post-Game Press Conference On Titan YouTube

It was raining 3-pointers early and a huge first half run helped the Detroit Titans come up with a big road win in conference play as UDM upended Cleveland State, 65-54, on Thursday night.

The win moved Detroit to 17-13 on the season, guaranteeing its first winning campaign since going 18-13 in 2004. The victory also moved the Titans to 8-9 in HL play and kept open the possibility of UDM hosting a game in the first round of the conference tournament.

"It was an important basketball game for us,” said head coach Ray McCallum. “It was very hard fought and both teams played really hard. Cleveland State came out ready to go and to put us in that kind of deficit showed they were ready to go. But we hung in there and battled back and made a run to close the half. We went into the locker room with confidence and we have been a strong second half team and were able to maintain our consistency."

Junior Xavier Keeling (Huntsville, AL/J.O. Johnson) was one of the biggest reasons UDM won, netting a game-high 21 points, shooting 6-of-10 from the field, including a career-best five 3-pointers.

"Xavier followed Cleveland State's run last year and he came out and played with great energy and confidence today,” said McCallum. “When he plays with that energy and confidence, it helps our team and obviously he was ready to go." 

Sophomore Eli Holman (Richmond, CA/Richmond) posted his ninth double-double of the season with 14 points, including a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the free throw line, and 10 rebounds. Two other Titans reached double figures as senior Thomas Kennedy (Detroit, MI/Southeastern) had 15 points and seven boards, while sophomore Chase Simon (Detroit, MI/Community) added 11 points, two rebounds, two assists and four steals.

"When we are playing well, a lot of guys can make a basket for us. Balance is a good indication that we are playing good basketball and that's what we had tonight,” added McCallum.

It looked as though Cleveland State (14-16, 9-8 HL) was going to run all over Detroit, racing out to a 15-2 lead just five minutes into the game. The Titans were 1-of-6 to start the tilt, missing two free throws and also turning the ball over twice.

As cold as UDM was to start, it quickly turned it around with a 17-0 run to take the lead and would never trail again. Keeling hit three 3-pointers during the run and the Titans just clamped down on defense keeping the Vikings scoreless for nearly seven minutes and forcing five turnovers.

The game was tied twice in the next two minutes, the latest at 21-all, until a 19-6 Titan spurt opened up UDM's largest lead of the game, 41-27, with Detroit then taking a 41-30 advantage at the half.

The Titans kept the lead throughout the second half, although CSU did cut it to three, 46-43. Detroit never let the home team get any closer, holding off that Vikings' charge and once again building its lead back up to double digits.

UDM outrebounded Cleveland State 33-20 on the night and held CSU to just 38 percent shooting in the second half. Detroit also hit 10 3-pointers in the game, the second-most this season following the 11 it had in the home opener against Western Michigan.

Detroit can now clinch a first-round home game with a win on Saturday and a loss by Cleveland State to Wright State. That would give UDM a six seed with Detroit hosting CSU. The Titans can also get up to a fifth seed with a win and losses by CSU and Milwaukee (which plays at UIC).

The Titans will end the regular season at Youngstown State in a 2:00 p.m. start. The contest will be televised as the Horizon League Network's Game of the Week.