Box Score

(No Post-Game Press Conference)

(Fan Bus Information Below)

A 14-2 run in the second half pushed the Detroit Titans men's basketball team to a 62-54 victory over Youngstown State on Saturday at the Beeghly Center.

The win moved UDM to 18-13 on the season and 9-9 in the Horizon League, but with Cleveland State defeating Wright State too, the Titans could not move up in the standings ending the year in seventh place. The seventh-seeded Titans will now play on the road at sixth-seeded Valparaiso in the first round of the conference tournament on Tuesday.

“We ended the season strong and this is exactly what you want to do this time of the year,” said head coach Ray McCallum. “We did a good job on defense against a team that can really score and we were making shots and free throws early.”

Senior Thomas Kennedy (Detroit, MI/Southeastern) had a game-high 15 points to go with six rebounds. Junior Xavier Keeling (Huntsville, AL/J.O. Johnson) scored 14 points and had five boards, while sophomore Eli Holman (Richmond, CA/Richmond) came close to his 10th double-double of the season, ending with nine points, a game-best 11 rebounds and three blocks.

Detroit held the lead for almost the entire game, trailing only once when Youngstown State (8-21, 2-16 HL) took a brief 15-13 lead midway through the first half. Detroit quickly tied the game and went ahead for good, taking a five-point lead at the half, 31-26, thanks to shooting 44 percent in the first stanza and hitting 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

The lead stayed between four and seven points through the first five minutes of play in the second half but, with UDM up by four, 41-37, the Titans took complete control of the contest with a 14-2 spurt to go up by 16, 55-39, with under seven minutes left in the game.

Detroit used the paint for much of that run, actually outscoring the Penguins inside 32-20 on the day and 20-4 in the first half, as free throws combined with senior Eulis Stephens (Detroit, MI/Southeastern), Holman and Keeling down low proved to be too much for YSU to handle. 

The defense also came alive, holding the home team to just 1-of-11 from the field and five turnovers during that nine-minute charge.

The red, white and blue kept the pressure on down the stretch as only two Penguins' 3-pointers in the final minute of play cut the lead to under double digits.

Detroit ended the game shooting 43 percent and outrebounded Youngstown State, 38-29. It also forced 15 turnovers, the 21st time this UDM has caused at least 15 miscues in a game, while holding YSU to 35 percent from the field.

Detroit split the series with Valparaiso this season, defeating the Crusaders 77-67 at home and dropping a 74-70 decision on the road. Valpo ended the year at 15-16 overall and 10-8 in conference play, and has dropped two in a row and three of its last five games.

The 2010 Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship will start on Tuesday with the four first-round games. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. (EST) at the Athletics Recreation Center. 

UDM will sponsor a fan bus to the event  that will leave Calihan Hall at 2:30 p.m on Tuesday. The price to watch the Titans battle the Crusaders is $40 for a ticket on the bus and to the game, or just $30 to get on the bus. For more information, contact the Titan Athletic Department at 313-993-1700.