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DETROIT (11/11/13) – The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team tipped off its 61st season in Calihan Hall with a decisive 106-51 win over the University of Michigan-Dearborn Monday night on Dick Vitale Court. Junior forward Juwan Howard, Jr. led the Titans with his second-straight double-double, while sophomore guard Anton Wilson scored a career-high 21 points as the Titans reached the century mark for the first time at home since scoring 102 points against Rochester last year. 

Howard scored a game-high 22 points to go along with 10 rebounds, four assists and one blocked shot, while Wilson finished with 21 points, two assists and two blocks. Freshman guard Jarod Williams had another good outing with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists, while classmate Matthew Grant pitched in 10 points, seven assists and four steals.

Senior co-captain Evan Bruinsma finished with 12 points, seven rebounds four steals and three assists, while junior forward Patrick Onwenu also scored 12 points, while grabbing nine rebounds. Senior center Ugochukwu Njoku also grabbed nine boards, while matching a career-high with eight points and five blocked shots.

Detroit (1-1) opened the game with a 10-2 run, as Howard scored the first eight points for the Titans for the second-straight game, before the Wolverines responded with a 7-0 run to make the score 10-9 at the first media timeout. Detroit then answered back with a 10-0 run and never looked back as the Titans closed the half with a 45-15 run to take a 55-24 lead into the locker room. Howard and Wilson both had 13 points in the first half, while Williams added nine.

The Titans opened the second half with six quick points to expand their lead to 63-24 before Dearborn answered back with an 11-3 run, to trim the lead to 66-35 with 15:23 left, but that was as close as the score would get as Detroit closed game with a 40-16 run.

Detroit shot a season-high 52.3 percent (34-of-65) overall, including 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from downtown, while holding Dearborn to 33.3 percent (21-of-63) overall, including 35.0 percent (7-of-20) from beyond the arc. The Titans grabbed 52 rebounds and forced 21 Wolverine turnovers, while dishing out 23 assists with 14 steals and 13 blocked shots on the night.

Detroit will hit the road again as the Titans will visit Storrs, Conn. to take on No. 18 UConn on Thursday (Nov. 14) at the Gampel Pavilion. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on SNY and ESPN3. The game can also be heard live online on 97.1 The Ticket's webstream with the new voice of the Titans Dan Leach.

GAME NOTES: The 52 rebounds were the most in game for the Titans since grabbing 51 against South Alabama in the season Opener … Jarod Williams became the first true Titan freshman to score in double figures in his first two collegiate games during the Coach McCallum Era … The 13 blocked shots are the most for the Titans since swatting 17 against Western Michigan in 1978 … The 14 steals are also the most since taking the ball away 15 times against Toledo on Dec. 5, 2012 … Juwan Howard, Jr. is the first Titan to open a season with back-to-back double-doubles since Eli Holman did in 2010.