TOLEDO (11/25/14) – Senior forward Juwan Howard Jr. was named the Progressive Legends Classic sub-regional MVP after scoring a game-high 28 points to help lead the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team to an 82-79 win over Toledo in the championship game on Tuesday at Savage Arena. The win also snapped the Rockets 18-game home winning streak that dated back to Jan. 18, 2012.
 
Detroit (4-2) trailed by five 71-66 with 3:31 left in regulation, before closing out the game with a 16-8 run, including a three-pointer from senior guard Brandan Kearney with 49 seconds left to give the Titans a 78-75 lead. Detroit then made four-straight free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
 
Howard finished with 28 points – 17 in the second half – to lead Detroit, while Horizon League Freshman of the Week Paris Bass recorded his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Bass also had four assists, one steal and one blocked shot and was named to the All-Tournament team.
 
Sophomore Jarod Williams scored 13 points to go along with three steals and three assists, while junior Anton Wilson added 10 points – eight in the second half – to go with two steals.
 
Toledo (2-3) scored the first four points of the game and was able to take a 10-6 lead into the first media timeout with 15:36 left. The Titans then responded with a 13-5 run to take a 19-15 lead during the under-12 media timeout. Detroit would increase its lead, following five-straight points from Howard, to 30-22 with 7:21 left. The Titans would stay on top 32-24 with 5:20 remaining, before the Rockets closed the half with a 13-4 run to take a 37-36 lead into the locker room. Howard led Detroit with 11 points, while Williams had nine in the first half.
 
Detroit opened the second stanza with another 13-5 run to take a 49-42 lead with 15:38 remaining in regulation. Toledo would battle back to tie the score at 62 with 8:17 left, before taking the lead 69-64 with 4:19 left. Detroit would then close the game with an 18-10 run to secure the win.
 
Detroit shot 52.6 percent (30-of-57) overall, 41.3 percent (7-of-17) from downtown, while dishing out a season-high 16 assists and recording 10 steals.
 
Following a much needed Thanksgiving break after playing five games in eight days Detroit will host Bowling Green on Sunday, Nov. 30 to begin a four-game home stand. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:07 p.m. at Calihan Hall and will be televised locally on WADL and nationally on ESPN3. The game can also be listened to on 97.1 The Ticket with the voice of the Titans Dan Leach.