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DETROIT (2/25/2015) -- Senior Brandan Kearney scored a team-high 14 points, but three free throws by senior Juwan Howard Jr. at the end sealed the victory as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team rallied past first place Valparaiso, 63-60, on Senior Night in historic Calihan Hall.
 
Prior to the game, the Titans honored their two seniors along with senior members of the Spirit squad.
 
The win moved Detroit to 14-17 on the year and 7-9 in the Horizon League as it will be the No. 5 seed and host a HL Championship First Round game next Tuesday. Valparaiso fell to 25-5, 12-3 in the conference as the Crusaders will square off with second-place Cleveland State on Saturday for a chance to host the conference tournament quarterfinals and semifinals.
 
In a game that featured eight ties and 15 lead changes, the contest was all knotted up at 60-all with 1:25 left as both teams had a chance to pull ahead in the final minute. With 20 seconds on the clock, Valpo's Keith Carter's shot was clocked setting up the Titans final shot. With the time running down, Howard Jr. had the ball and went up for a 3-pointer, which he missed, but a foul was called on the play giving him three free throws with one second on the clock.
 
Howard Jr. – who came into the game shooting 85.3 percent at the charity stripe – calmly then stepped up to the line and drained all three, giving the red, white and blue a 63-60 lead. The Crusaders inbounds pass then went off a Valpo player and just as time expired, Howard Jr. threw up a shot from past half court and it went in, igniting the crowd even more even though the referees waived off the attempt saying time had run out.
 
Jaleel Hogan ended the game with 10 points and a season-high nine rebounds. Howard Jr. had three assists and two boards and Jarod Williams finished with eight points, five rebounds and two helpers.
 
The Titans ended the contest shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 6-of-11 from three-point range. UDM had 16 assists on its 24 baskets and outscored the Crusaders in the paint, 30-10.
 
The Detroit defense held Valparaiso to just 34.8 percent as the Crusaders made just 16 field goals, with half of those from beyond the arc.
 
It was a see-saw game early on as Valparaiso ran off the first six points only to see Detroit come back with six in a row. The Titans took their first lead at 8-7 on a layup from Chris Jenkins and extended the advantage to three, 18-15, as Jenkins drove the lane and passed it off to Patrick Ackerman, who hit a jumper with 10:50 left in the half.
 
The Crusaders came right back with seven points unanswered to jump out in front, 22-18, at the 7:59 mark. They would go on to open a seven-point lead, 33-26, with 2:56 remaining in the half, but the Titans had one more run left in them before the break and it was all Jaleel Hogan.
 
The rookie scored the half's last six points starting with a jumper. He then went up strong on the glass to tip in a missed shot and ended the half with two free throws to get UDM within 33-32 at the break.
 
Detroit shot 43.3 percent in the first half and hit four of its eight attempts from downtown. The Titans also scored 16 of their 32 points in the paint and held Valparaiso to 37.5 percent from the field.
 
The Crusaders came out of the half and quickly nailed a three to make it a four-point game and led 38-34 at the 18:44 mark. The Titans would fight back as a layup by Bass and two free throws from Kearney gave Detroit a 41-40 lead. Valpo charged back in front, but UDM kept crashing the glass and off a jumper from Williams and then a free throw, the Titans led 47-45 with 13:19 left in the game. After a Valparaiso basket, Detroit had two more offensive boards on its next possession, which ended with Anton Wilson laying it in for a 49-47 score.
 
Detroit had a chance to push that lead even higher, but the Crusaders scored five straight to regain the momentum, 52-49. UDM then came back as Williams found Hogan who bullied his way inside for two more points and a 53-52 lead with 6:25 on the clock. Valparaiso upped its lead back to four, 57-53, but The Titans stormed back and a trey by Wilson brought the crowd to its feet Detroit went ahead, 60-58, with 1:51 left.
 
The Titans regular season is now complete as the red, white and blue will prepare for the Horizon League Championships hosting a first round game next Tuesday, March 3. The opponent is still to be determined, but the contest will begin at 7:00 p.m., on Dick Vitale Court in Calihan Hall. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.