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DETROIT--  The Detroit Titans used a strong first half to defeat in-state rival Western Michigan, 92-81 Thursday night at Calihan Hall.  UDM tallied a season-high 61 first-half points and held a 22-point lead at the break in the win.

Fresh off an exciting and memorable win over St. John's on "Dick Vitale Night", the Titans kept the energy Thursday.  Detroit (5-6) ran off the first nine points and quickly built a 20-point lead midway through the half.

Senior Eli Holman, playing in his first game of the season after returning from a leave of absence, came off-the-bench and provided eight efficient minutes in the opening stanza, scoring 10 points with three boards, a block and an assist in just eight minutes of work.  He was one of three Titans already in double figures at the break as Chase Simon scored 13 and Jason Calliste had 10 as the Titans shot a blistering 63.9 percent in the opening period.

WMU (1-7) scored the first seven points of the second half and eventually trimmed the lead down to as little as nine points but got no closer.  The Titan frontcourt of Holman and LaMarcus Lowe held Bronco leading scorer Matt Stainbrook to just three points by limiting his touches (0-for-3).

Mike Douglas led all scorers with 33 points for the Broncos.  Holman finished the night with 21 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in just 19 minutes.  Simon added 20, Ray McCallum 14 and Calliste 12 for an efficient Titan offense that generated 18 assists to just eight turnovers.

The Titans look to make it three straight as they head to Tuscaloosa, Ala. Sunday for a tilt with No. 15/16 Alabama.  The game is scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. Eastern tip on ESPNU. 

Notes:  Chase Simon recorded his sixth 20+ point game of the season ... he leads the Horizon League in scoring (16.8 ppg) ...  the home team won for the tenth time in the last 11 meetings in the all-time series ... it was the fourth game of 90+ points this season for Detroit (4-0) ... UDM had four games of 90+ all of last season ... Detroit has won its last 46 games when it scores 90 points in a game ... last loss with 90+ points was a 96-91 loss to Michigan State in 1988-season ... LaMarcus Lowe had one block Thursday, extending his string of consecutive games with at least one to 11 ... it was the first time this season, however, that he did not have more than one.