Box score (.pdf)
Box score (.html)

DETROIT--  Valparaiso used a hot start to grab a 78-68 win over Detroit at Calihan Hall Sunday afternoon.  Valpo (14-5, 6-1) connected on 13 of its first 16 shots to grab the lead in the early going and never looked back, remaining atop the Horizon League standings.

Nick Minnerath had a double-double with career-highs-- 23 points and 12 rebounds-- but Detroit (10-9, 4-3 HL) couldn't dig itself out of a hole created in the first half with the Crusaders' jump start.  

With another good crowd on hand for this Homecoming game, Detroit looked to shrug-off a Friday setback against Butler.  A Ray McCallum layup and a Jason Calliste triple looked to get things rolling for the Titans, but it was short-lived as Valpo made five of its first seven shots from long range and quickly staked itself to a double-digit lead.

The Crusaders went into halftime with an 11-point cushion, outshooting UDM 51.5 to 29.2 percent.  The hot shooting gave the visitors a lead as large as 18 in the first half, but the Titans made an effort to get to the line, going 13-of-16 from the stripe while Valpo missed on its only two freebies in the opening 20 minutes.

While the lead hovered between seven and 13 points for the remainder of the second half, Valpo held a seemingly comfortable 13-point margin with 1:27 left.  A pair of McCallum breakaway dunks made the Crusaders sweat-out the final minute with the advantage down to seven and 50 seconds left.  Donavan Foster would foul out, the third Titan to do so Sunday-- and Valpo held on for the win.

McCallum assisted Minnerath's effort with 16 points and three steals while Calliste chipped-in 10 points for UDM.

Detroit will play its next four games on the road, beginning Thursday at Cleveland State.  Tip time is slated for 7:30 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the women's team.

Notes: Chris Blake made his first career Division I start ... Eli Holman came off the bench for the first time in his 49 career games as a Titan ... It was the first double-double for Minnerath ... He becomes the fourth different Titan to register a double-double this season (Holman- 8, Ray McCallum- 1, LaMarcus Lowe- 1) ... Minnerath's previous career-high in points was 21 (vs. Milwaukee- Jan. 1) ... His previous best in rebounds was a seven-board output (vs. Niagara, Nov. 28).