Complete game notes (.pdf)

GAME 14
Alabama State (2-8) at Detroit (5-8)
Date:  Thurs., Dec. 22, 2011
Tip Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Detroit, Mich.
Arena: Calihan Hall (8,295)
Live Stats: detroittitans.com
Live Video: Horizon League Network
All-time Series: First meeting

ON TAP
The Titans play one final non-conference game before resuming Horizon League play Dec. 29.  The Titans are finishing up a stretch of six of seven games in front of the home faithful at Calihan Hall.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS
ASU is 2-8 on the season and will be playing its tenth game away from home during Thursday's contest.  Kenderek Washington leads the team with 14.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
After the holiday, Horizon League play resumes Dec. 29 when the Titans head to the Windy City for stops at UIC (Dec. 29) and Loyola (Dec. 31).  The squad will be home next Jan. 6 and 8, hosting Valparaiso and Butler, respectively.

LAST TIME OUT
No. 17/16 Mississippi State held on for an 80-75 win over Detroit Saturday afternoon on Dick Vitale Court at Calihan Hall.  With the game tied 75-apiece with 19 seconds to play, Rodney Hood hit a jumper to put the Bulldogs on top for good.  The Titans trailed by as many as 15 in the second half, but got a spark from their bench to run-off 10 straight points.  The run was started with six straight points by senior center Eli Holman, then a slick lay-up by freshman guard P.J. Boutte, part of his seven points on the game, to close the gap to 56-51.  After MSU (11-1) built the lead back to 11, Detroit again rattled-off a 12-2 run to get within a point with under four minutes left.  UDM tied it on a Ray McCallum layup with 40 seconds to go to set-up the late-game drama.

COUSY CANDIDATE
Sophomore Ray McCallum can add another honor to his quickly-building resume.  Monday, McCallum was named a Bob Cousy Award candidate, one of nearly 60 among all NCAA Divisions awarded to the top point guard in collegiate basketball.  Other notable candidates include fellow World University Games Team USA members Ashton Gibbs (Pitt) and Scoop Jardine (Syracuse) and Horizon League foe Kaylon Williams of Milwaukee. The list will be pared down to a final 20 by Jan. 1st, final ten a month later and then the final five as March approaches.

RANK AND FILE
The Titans just ended a tough stretch of games, facing some of the nation's best as they traveled to No. 16/15 Alabama Sunday and then faced No. 17/16 Mississippi State last Saturday.  This season's schedule has featured a pair of schools from two power conferences: BIG EAST (Notre Dame, St. John's) and SEC (Alabama, Mississippi State).

FREEBIES COMING EASY
The Titans lead the Horizon League in free throw shooting at 73.9 percent heading into Thursday.  Four Titans are in the top 10, topped by the HL's best free-thrower to date Doug Anderson, who carries a hefty .905 percentage.  Ray McCallum (.763) is sixth, Jason Calliste (.750) seventh and Chase Simon (.734) ninth in the latest rankings.  Anderson's percentage is good for 22nd in the nation.

POINTS APLENTY
Detroit leads the league in scoring at 73.9 points per contest.  The Titans have eclipsed the 90-point barrier four times already, three of those coming at home.  UDM averages 80.9 points per game in its seven home games to date.