DETROIT (11/10/2016) -- The journey of the college basketball season will commence on Friday as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team begins the 2016-17 campaign at home against Adrian College.
It will be the first official game for head coach
Bacari Alexander '99 as he leads his alma mater out on the hardwood.
Game time is set for 7:00 p.m., on Dick Vitale Court in historic Calihan Hall. Fans can catch all the action on ESPN3 with Dan Leach providing the commentary, or on the radio dial on 910 AM Superstation with
Cliff Russell calling all the action. The game
WILL NOT be on WADL.
Tickets start at just $10, $6 for children and seniors. To purchase tickets online, visit
detroittitans.com/tix. To purchase over the phone or for more information on game and season tickets, contact Director of Ticket Operations & Sales
Justin Hairston at 313-993-1700 ext. 7301 or at
hairstjj1@udmercy.edu.
The Veteran's Day game will feature a special promotion for all veterans and active military members. The Titans have "joined forces" with the Michigan Veterans Foundation and all veterans and active military members, with proper ID, can receive free tickets in advance or on game day and an additional ticket for a friend or family member. Others in the group can purchase tickets for half-price.
Detroit Mercy will hit the road for four-straight games after the contest visiting East Tennessee State (Nov. 14), Illinois (Nov. 18), Florida State (Nov. 20) and New Hampshire (Nov. 23).
ALL-TIME VS. ADRIAN
The Titans lead the all-time series, 18-6, against the Division III school, although the two programs have not met since 1977.
The series started in 1911 and the first 23 games were played between 1911 and 1937. The Titans have won six in a row over the Bulldogs, including a 112-69 decision in the last ever meeting in 1977.
The Titans are also 15-2 all-time at home in the series.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
Adrian College was 13-12 last season and 6-8 in the MIAA. The Bulldogs lose two of their top three leading scorers from last season, but return senior Davonte Harris, who tallied 16.6 points per game, second on the squad.
Junior Anthony Cannon posted 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds, while sophomore Travon Johnson averaged 6.0 points and 2.8 assists per game.
Kyle Lindsay is in his first year as head coach of Adrian, taking over the program late in the summer on August 22.
THE PRESEASON
The Titans played two exhibition games this year, falling 85-79 in both contests to Wayne State and Ferris State.
Freshman
Corey Allen averaged 19.5 points in the two games. Senior
Chris Jenkins saw action in just the first exhibition against WSU and recorded a double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds, while junior
Jaleel Hogan averaged 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the two games.
111 YEARS OF TITAN BASKETBALL
The 2016-17 season marks the 111th year of collegiate basketball at the University of Detroit Mercy as the Tigers – yes, Tigers - beat Collegiate, 18-7, in the first official Detroit basketball game.
Until 1919, the then University of Detroit athletic teams were known as the Tigers. In the fall of 1919, the Detroit Free Press' sportswriter Stan Brink, who was covering football for the paper, thought that a good nickname for the team would be the Titans.
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a class of oversized people who happened to have almost perfect physiques.
In its 111 years (two years records are missing in 1907-08 and 1908-09) Detroit Mercy is 1,393-1166 (.544) all-time with two regular season Horizon League Championships (1998, 1999) and three conference tournament titles (1994, 1999, 2012).
Detroit Mercy has also made six NCAA tournaments (1962, 1977, 1979, 1998, 1999, 2012) and seven NIT appearances (1960, 1961, 1965, 1978, 2001, 2002, 2013).
OPENING DAY SUCCESS
Detroit Mercy has had a great history of starting off on the right foot as the Titans are 80-29 all-time on opening day, with two years in the early 1900's unknown due to record keeping.
HOME OPENERS
Any team would love to open up at home, but for Detroit Mercy opponents, Calihan Hall is not the building they want to visit. The Titans are 73-11 in home openers dating back to the 1932-33 campaign, including 22-straight home opening victories.
The last time Detroit lost a home opener was on Nov. 27, 1993, when the red, white and blue fell to Wayne State, 82-76, the first game under Titan Hall-Of-Famer Perry Watson, the collegiate coach of current head coach Bacari Alexander.
CALIHAN HOSPITALITY
The Titans have made life tough for nonconference opponents visiting Calihan Hall as Detroit Mercy is 82-19 in its last 101 home games against non-league schools.
Last year, Detroit Mercy was 6-0 with wins over Central State, UM-Dearborn, Northeastern, Toledo, Bowling Green and UCF.
AGAINST NON DIVISION I SCHOOLS
Detroit Mercy has taken care of business against non-Division I schools as the Titans have won 30 in a row against them.
The last loss was also the last home-opening setback against Wayne State in 1993
In its history, Detroit Mercy is 255-67 (.791) all-time against non-division one schools.
VS. THE GREAT LAKES STATE
The Titans are 282-155 (.645) all-time against other schools from the state of Michigan, including 262-83 versus programs outside of the two Big Ten institutions.
ANOTHER TITAN MAN AT THE HELM
Head coach Bacari Alexander was named the 21st head coach in Titan history.
He is now the eighth alum to serve as head coach of the Titans joining Walter Hardy (1913-16), Paul Harbrecht (1922-23), John Barrett (1923-25), Lloyd Brazil (1930-46), John Shada (1946-48), Bob Calihan (1948-69) and John Mulroy (1987-88).
He is also the second head coach to come to Detroit Mercy from the University of Michigan joining his college head coach Perry Watson.
JUST 37 LEAD THEIR ALMA MATER
Head coach Bacari Alexander is one of just 37 head coaches - out of 351 at the Division I level - to take the reigns at his alma mater.
Coach Alexander shined as a student-athlete from 1996-99 playing two seasons for the Titans and helping the program to a pair of 25-win seasons and back-to-back wins in the NCAA Tournament.
TOUGH SCHEDULE COACH
The eleven (11) non-conference foes on the Titan men's basketball schedule posted a 197-161 (.550) last season with four teams making the postseason in East Tennessee State (Vegas 16), Florida State (NIT), New Hampshire (CIT) and Fort Wayne (NIT).
Florida State is currently receiving votes in both the coaches and media poll, while Eastern Michigan and Fort Wayne are receiving votes in the Mid-Major poll.
PRESEASON THOUGHT
The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the Horizon League preseason poll.
Detroit Mercy garnered 195 points in the poll, voted on by the HL head coaches, sports information director's and media members.
The defending regular season champion and NIT runner-up Valparaiso was picked to win the league totaling 385 points, while Oakland was selected second tallying 337. Last year's conference champion Green Bay was picked third with 309 points, while UIC and Wright State were fourth and fifth earning 217 and 202 points, respectively.
After Detroit Mercy, Northern Kentucky (153), Cleveland State (150), Youngstown State (125) and Milwaukee (72) rounded out the poll.
JENKINS TABBED PRESEASON ALL-HL
Senior
Chris Jenkins was named Second Team All-Horizon League in the HL's preseason accolades.
Jenkins earned his first career Horizon League accolade in the second team selection.
Last year, he notched double figures in scoring 16 times with six 20-point games and three double-doubles. He finished second on the team in rebounding (5.7), third in scoring (12.0), fourth in steals (1.0) and fifth in assists (1.4). In the Horizon League, he ranked 12th in rebounding, 15th in steals and 20th in scoring.
A versatile player, he led the team in three-point field-goal percentage (.432), sixth in the conference, while his 1.6 three-pointers per game was second on the team and 12th in the league. He was also third on the team and 15th in the conference in total field-goal percentage (.476) and ended second on Detroit Mercy and eighth in the HL in free throw percentage (.772).
At the end of the year, he took home the William Ebben Academic and Athletic Excellence Award as well as shared the Larry Doyle Most Dedicated Titan Award at the annual team banquet.
HOGAN GARNERS PRESEASON HONOR
Junior
Jaleel Hogan received some early praise in All-Conference honors by College Sports Madness.
Hogan was listed on the HL Fourth Team.
He had a breakout year as a sophomore and was the only Titan to start all 31 games. He was fifth on the team in scoring with 10.5 points per game, while ranking fourth on the team in rebounding at 4.2 per night.
He also led the team and was second in the Horizon League in field goal percentage hitting 132-of-230 shots for 57.4 percent, good for ninth in school history.
Hogan posted double figures in scoring 19 times on the year with two double-doubles and a 20-point contest. He had 20 points and eight rebounds at home against Oakland. He tallied his double-doubles with 14 points and 10 boards versus Bowling Green and 10 points with 10 rebounds against Milwaukee.
NEW FACES
Detroit Mercy has eight newcomers on the squad, the most since the 2008-09 season when then first-year head coach Ray McCallum had 10.
The eight newcomers include one Division I transfer in
Kameron Chatman (Michigan), two junior college transfers in
DeShawndre Black (Schoolcraft College) and
Isaiah Jones (Mt. San Jacinto College) and five true freshmen in
Corey Allen (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti),
Malik Eichler (Berlin, Germany/MacDuffie Prep (MA),
Cole Long (Orangeville, Ont./Athletic Institute Basketball Academy),
Jacob Joubert (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) and
Ed Carter III (Detroit, Mich./Edison).
SENIOR STATUS
Four seniors are on the Titan roster in
Matthew Grant,
Chris Jenkins, Pat Robinson Jr., and
Jarod Williams. The quartet has played in 148 career games with 128 starts.
MR. BASKETBALL FINALIST SUITING UP FOR THE TITANS
Freshman
Corey Allen has a distinguished career at Ypsilanti High School, including finishing fourth in the Michigan Mr. Basketball voting with 1,597 points as a senior.
He is the first Michigan Mr. Basketball Finalist to sign with the Titans out of high school since Ray McCallum in 2010 and only the ninth Mr. Basketball Finalist to sign with Detroit Mercy straight out of high school.
In his four years, Ypsilanti was 79-15, including 22-2 as a senior, and won its conference in all four seasons. He tallied 23.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in his final prep year, while shooting 52 percent from the field, 48 percent from behind the arc and 86 percent at the free throw line.
In his career, he totaled over 1,500 points.
THE MAN FROM NEWFOUNDLAND
Freshman
Cole Long is believed to be the first Titan in school history to hail from Newfoundland.
He later moved to Orangeville, Ontario, to attend high school at the prestigious Athlete Institute Preparatory School of Basketball.
He was ranked the No. 17 recruit in Canada by Hoops Hype Canada as well as No. 22 by North Pole Hoops.Long finished his two-year prep career with the Athlete Institute basketball team, where he played alongside Jamal Murray, who suited up for one season at Kentucky and was the No. 7 pick in the 2016 NBA draft as well as Thon Maker, the No. 10 overall pick in the draft.
THE GERMAN ONE
Freshman
Malik Eichler came to the states and prepped at The MacDuffie School in Granby, Massachusetts.
He originally hails from Berlin, Germany, and is believed to be just the second Titan ever from Germany joining Jermaine Lippert, who was from Munich, Germany, and lettered for Detroit Mercy from 2012-14.
A GIANT IN CALIHAN HALL
Freshman
Malik Eichler stands at 7-feet tall and he is believed to be just the fifth seven-footer in school history and the first since 7-3, 275-pound center Jason Bennett in 2008-09.
JAROD'S NEARING 100 GAMES
Senior
Jarod Williams has the most game experience on the Titan roster having played in 96 career games with 55 starts.
Last year, he took the court in all 31 games with six starts and averaged 4.2 points. 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game with 12 steals and four blocks. He posted a season-high 12 points and five boards at nationally-ranked Vanderbilt and tied his season high in back-to-back games with 12 points at Milwaukee and at Green Bay.
As a rookie, he was selected to the All-Horizon League Freshman Team.
BLACKSHEAR 0UT FOR MORE
Sophomore
Gerald Blackshear saw action in all 31 games as a rookie with two starts and averaged 4.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game. He also shot a 55.2 field goal percentage connecting on 48-of-87 from the field in his freshman campaign.
ALL-AMERICAN IN THE MIX
Junior college transfer
DeShawndre Black will look for immediate playing time in the back court.
He played his first two collegiate seasons at Schoolcraft College and was an NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball First Team All-American in 2016, leading Schoolcraft to a 23-12 overall record and 14-2 mark in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Eastern Conference.
He started all 35 games and averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals. Black shot 43.4 percent from the field, 34.5 percent from behind the arc and 82.1 percent at the free throw line and posting a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover (201-A, 100-T) ratio.
MCFOLLEY'S READY TO GO
Sophomore
Josh McFolley has dealt with a few lingering injuries in the fall, but he is ready to pick up where he left off as a freshman.
He was named to the Horizon League All-Freshmen Team in 2015-16 after playing in 30 games with 23 starts and averaging 8.5 points, a team-high 2.3 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game. His 1.2 steals per game was third on the team and tied for ninth in the Horizon League, while his 35 total steals was second on the squad and 10th in the HL. He was also third on the team with 43 triples and registered a season-high 20 points against Northeastern.
GIVING BACK
The University of Detroit Mercy Department of Athletics partnered with Michigan First Credit Union for the first-ever "City College Series", benefiting Detroit Public Schools (DPS), grades K-5, as the Titans hosted Wayne State in a charity exhibition on Oct. 29.
The in-state rivalry and sponsorship was formed with Michigan First to raise money for DPS with the aid of a basketball game between local academic institutions in the city.
The game saw 2,555 fans come out to see the teams play and with the matching donation from Michigan First, over $8,000 was raised for DPS to provide financial assistance for the district's K-5 classrooms.
