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DETROIT (2/27/2014) -- Everyone that played scored for the Titans, but one last Milwaukee spurt was the difference as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team was downed by the Panthers, 68-62, on Thursday night on Dick Vitale Court in historic Calihan Hall.

The loss drops Detroit (13-17) to 6-9 in the Horizon League and improves Milwaukee (17-13) to 7-9 as a home playoff game is still an option if UDM can pull out a win on Saturday against Green Bay and get some help from others.

Freshman Jarod Williams led Detroit with 12 points in just 20 minutes of action. Senior Evan Bruinsma had 10 points, five rebounds and three assists and junior Juwan Howard Jr. tallied nine points and had a career-high four steals.

The game was tied six times in the last eight minutes of action as Detroit caught up from a one time 12-point first-half deficit. Milwaukee was up, 49-44, with 8:53 remaining when Howard Jr. scored five-straight points, the last three courtesy of a trifecta.

The Titan 7-0 run continued as two free throws from junior Carlton Brundidge gave UDM its first lead of the day, but UWM quickly grabbed the lead back, 53-51, with 6:17 left, with two-straight jumpers from JeVon Lyle – who ended with a game-high 20 points.

The red, white and blue would knot the game four times in the next two minutes, the latest at 60-60, but a 5-0 Panthers run had Detroit down 65-60 at the 1:27 mark. Two free throws from Bruinsma made it a one-possession game and UDM got the ball back down by three off a tough inside rebound, but a turnover on a travel fighting for the loose ball ended the chance of a comeback and the Panthers went on to win.

Milwaukee ended up shooting 55.3% (26-of-47) from the field and won the battle of the glass, 34-28. Detroit ended up forcing 17 turnovers and had a 19-14 edge on points off turnovers.

Brundidge finished with eight points and three rebounds and freshman Matthew Grant netted seven points and handed out two assists.

It was a slow start on offense for the Titans, but an even quicker start for Milwaukee as Detroit was just 4-of-16 from the field early on, while UWM was 6-of-19 and 12-of-18.

Milwaukee raced out to a quick 7-2 start two minutes in and eventually ran its lead to double digits, 14-4, with 13:09 left in the first half. The Titans cut into that with back-to-back baskets by Williams and Bruinsma, but the Panthers increased it back to 11, 19-8, midway through the period.

Detroit trimmed the deficit to six, 23-17, at the 4:53 mark as Brundidge nailed a jumper, but Milwaukee responded with six-straight points to open its largest lead of the game, 29-17, before UDM made a late push to get within, 29-23, at the half.

The Titans shot only 27.6% (8-of-29), but did force 10 turnovers, while Milwaukee was 12-of-21 (57.1%) from the field.

Detroit will close out the regular season on Saturday as the red, white and blue host first place Green Bay on Senior Day on Dick Vitale Court. The game is part of a Titan doubleheader with the women playing Youngstown State at 1:00 p.m., and the men's game to tip off at 4:00 p.m., on WADL.

For ticket information and how to purchase tickets, click here.

Game Notes:
Milwaukee leads the overall series, 22-20… It was Howard's lowest scoring game since his three-point outing at Green Bay…  Williams has scored in double digits in three of his last four games and is averaging 11.2 ppg., during that span… Jermaine Lippert caused a brief delay as his dunk in the first half caused a cable holding the shot clock to snap off.

Fans don't forget to check out the final Roundball Luncheon of the season on Fri. Feb. 28 at Calihan Hall.