DETROIT (12/30/2016) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team will look to celebrate the New Year with a win as the Titans welcome Wright State into Calihan Hall on Saturday, Dec. 31.

The game is part of a Titan basketball doubleheader with the women hosting UIC at 1 p.m., and the men's game set to tip at 3:30.

Fans can catch all the action locally on WADL-38 and on ESPN3 with Dan Dickerson on the call alongside former Titan standout Earl Cureton as well as on the radio on 910 AM Superstation with Cliff Russell providing the action. Live stats will also be provided.

The Titans started the Horizon League with a hard-fought contest against NKU as they had a second-half lead, but could not hold on against the Norse falling 81-70. Junior Jaleel Hogan led the way by nearly posting a triple-double tallying a career-high 22 points and eight blocks along with pulling down eight rebounds.

It will be Motor City Madness Day as fans will the the opportunity to purchase tickets to the event in Calihan Hall as well as win prizes. Tickets to the 2017 #MotorCityMadness also went on sale during the HL opener and fans can purchase their tickets at MotorCityMadness.HorizonLeague.com/tickets, the Joe Louis Arena Box Office, or the Joe Louis Arena Ticket Sales and Service Office at 313-471-7575.

Tickets to all Titan home games 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 tickets, contact Director of Ticket Operations & Sales Justin Hairston at 313-993-1700 ext. 7301 or at hairstjj1@udmercy.edu.

VS. WRIGHT STATE
The Titans have dropped six of their last nine to Wright State as the Raiders now lead the all-time series, 27-26.

Detroit Mercy is 15-9 all-time against the Raiders at home. 

ABOUT THE RAIDERS
Wright State saw its three-game winning streak snapped its last time out at Oakland, 81-62. The Raiders are 9-5 on the season and 6-1 at home, but just 3-4 on the road.

Mark Alstork leads the team and is third in the Horizon League in scoring at 20.4 points per game. He also tops the squad in assists (3.1) and is third in rebounding (4.9).

Steven Davis is averaging 15.1 points and 4.5 rebounds, while Grant Benzinger is tallying 11.0 points and 5.9 boards.

As a team, WSU is seventh in the HL in offense (76.2) and third in team defense (70.3). 

The Raiders were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll. 

LOOKING AHEAD
The Titans will hit the road for three-straight games as they head to Chicago to battle UIC on Friday, Jan. 6, before heading to Valparaiso on Sunday, Jan. 8. 

GOOD TEAMMATES
The Titans were credited with a season-high 18 assists against Fort Wayne, the most since posting 18 against Youngstown State last season. 

RETURN TO SENDER
Detroit Mercy some showed toughness in the paint against Northern Kentucky doing work on both the offensive and defensive end. 

The Titans posted a season-high 10 blocks, the most since recording 10 at Green Bay in 2001, and tied for the most by a HL team this season. 

The red, white and blue also outscored the Norse, 34-22, in the paint. 

That offensive and defensive effort was led by junior Jaleel Hogan who netted a career-high 22 points and a career-best eight blocks, the most by a Titan since Mike Harmon had eight against Green Bay in 2001.

The eight blocks are also tied for the most this season by a HL player with the eight UIC's Tai Odiase had against Texas-San Antonio. 

DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
The Titans have shown some improvements on defense since the season has started.

After allowing teams to shoot over 50.0 percent in the first five games, the Titans have held seven of their last eight opponents to under that mark, including a season-low 40.4 percent at Toledo and 42.6 percent vs. NKU. 

In fact on the road against the Rockets, Detroit Mercy limited the Rockets to just 30.4 percent in the first half, including 1-of-8 from three. 

LONG DISTANCE OFFENSE
The Titans were struggling from the three-point line during a four-game stretch hitting just 13-of-69 (18.8%), but have come alive in the last three games connecting on 33-of-67 (49.2%).

The Titans nailed 15-of-30 from three-point range against Fort Wayne, the most since setting a school record with 18 against Milwaukee on Feb. 26, 2000. The 15 triples are also the most in the HL this season.

In the win over Western Kentucky, the Titans were 12-of-20 (54.0%). 

The Titans are currently third in the Horizon League in three-point field goal percentage (36.2%) and sixth in three-point field goals per game (7.4). 

CHANGING FIVE
Due to injuries and eligibility, the Titans have used six different starting line-ups in their first 13 games. 

Only senior Chris Jenkins has started all 13 games on the year.

PAIR OF 20'S
The Titans had two players net 20 points in a game for the first time this season as junior Jaleel Hogan had a game-high 22 points and senior Chris Jenkins tallied 20 against NKU.

UNSTOPPABLE
Junior Jaleel Hogan has once again been an offensive force down low for the Titans as he leads the Horizon League and is 23rd in the nation in field-goal percentage at 60.8 percent (33-of-120). 

He is currently second in school history in career field-goal percentage at 59.3 percent trailing only Eli Holman '12 (60.5%). 

JALETHAL
Junior Jaleel Hogan has been in double figures in 11 games this season and is coming off a career-high 22 points on 10-of-15 from the field against NKU.

He also had eight rebounds and eight blocks against the Norse, while recording his second career 20-point contest. 

Some of his other big scoring games on the year are: 19 points vs. Western Kentucky and Manhattan, 18 points at New Hampshire and 16 points at Bowling Green and Murray State. 

Hogan has also just missed a double-double a couple of times corralling back-to-back nine-rebound outings against Manhattan and EMU and eight boards against WKU. 

He is now second on the team and 14th in the Horizon League in scoring at 14.0 ppg. 

HIGH SCORING MCFOLLEY
Sophomore Josh McFolley is currently leading the team and is 11th in the Horizon League in scoring at 14.4 points per game. 

He is also third in the HL in three-point field goals per game (2.5) and is seventh in three-point field goal percentage (41.6%). 

He has six straight games in double figures, including 15 points against NKU, 18 points against Fort Wayne - where he had four 3-pointers -  and 24 points - sinking six triples - in the win over WKU.

It was his second 20-point effort of the year after netting 25 points earlier in the season at ETSU, where he was 7-of-9 from three.

In the last six games, he is averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals, shooting 46.9-percent (31-of-66) from the field and 40.0-percent (14-of-35) three. 

NOT ONLY SCORING
Sophomore Josh McFolley is known for scoring the basketball, but he has done a great job creating for his teammates in the last three games amassing 20 assists (6.6 apg.). 

He had a then career-high of eight against WKU and came back with a career-best nine versus Fort Wayne.

The nine assists were the most by a Titan since Jason Calliste had 10 at UIC in 2013.

DID YOY SAY 33?
Freshman Corey Allen was on fire against Fort Wayne posting 33 points on a 11-of-17 from the field and 9-of-13 from three, while also handing out a career-high five assists.

The nine triples are the most by a player in the HL this season and the most by a conference player since Oakland's Max Hooper had nine at Green Bay last year.

The 33 points are the fifth-most in the HL this season. 

Allen's 33 points were the most ever by a "true" freshmen in school history - breaking the 31 Titan Hall-Of-Famer John Long had against Bradley in 1975 - and the most by a Titan since Anton Wilson had 34 against Youngstown State at home last year.

His nine 3-pointers were the most since Desmond Ferguson had 10 against Milwaukee in 2000. 

It was his second 20+-point outing of the season as he notched 20 against EMU.

HIGHEST SCORING FRESHMAN IN THE HL
Freshman Corey Allen is averaging nearly 14.2 points a game in his last seven games and is now the highest scoring freshman in the Horizon League at 11.8 points per game - 19th in the HL. 

He is also second in the league and seventh in the nation in three-point field-goal percentage (47.5%) hitting 28-of-59 from distance on the season. 

He is also tied for seventh in the HL in three-point field goals per game (2.3). 

COREY GETTING IN A ZONE
Freshman Corey Allen has notched double figures in scoring six times this season, including a Titan true freshman record of 33 points against Fort Wayne - where he scored 27 points in the second half. 

In his last seven games, he has also registered 16 points, two assists, two steals and a rebound against WKU, 16 points and five rebounds at Murray State, 20 points versus Eastern Michigan and 10 points against Manhattan. 

In his last seven games, he is averaging 14.2 points on 33-of-65 shooting (50.7%) and 22-of-42 (52.3%) from three.

In his first five games, Allen averaged 8.2 points on 36.6 percent shooting (15-of-41) and 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from long range.

CJ DOES IT ALL
Senior Chris Jenkins got off to a slow start from behind the arc, but is eighth in school history in three-point field goal percentage at 41.0 percent (87-of-212). 

He is coming off a season-high 20 points against NKU - his eighth 20-point effort of his career - and that was after posting a double-double with 11 points and a career-best 16 rebounds against Fort Wayne. 

Jenkins has now scored in double figures in 10 games on the season and has two double-doubles on the year - six in his career - one of seven HL players with multiple double-double outings in 2016-17. 

Jenkins tallied his first double-double with 15 points and a then career-best 14 rebounds at Toledo. 

Earlier this year, he netted his season-high of 18 at Florida State. 

He has also just missed recording a couple of other double-doubles with 13 points and nine boards at Illinois and nine points with eight rebounds against Eastern Michigan. 

Jenkins has handed out an assist in 10 games with a season-high five at ETSU.

He is third on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg.) - 18th in the HL - while topping the squad on the boards (7.2 rpg.) - fourth in the HL.

JUST PERFECT
Sophomore Gerald Blackshear Jr. has been very active this season including just missing a double-double by tying his career high with 12 points and pulling down a season-best nine rebounds at Bowling Green. 

He was 6-of-9 against the Falcons and has connected on 50.0-percent or more from the field eight times this year. 

Blackshear Jr. also had 10 points, five boards and a steal at Toledo and eight points, five rebounds and an assist at Murray State. 

He had a solid game recording 10 points (4-6 FG) and six boards against Manhattan, and that was after a nine-point, seven-rebound performance at New Hampshire. 

On the year, he is 35-of-57 (61.4%) from the field, and would rank second in the Horizon League, but does not have enough field goals to qualify. 

Last season, he shot 55.2 percent from the field in limited attempts. 

YOU LITTLE THIEF
Sophomore Josh McFolley has recorded a steal in 10 of the first 13 games, including eight multi-steal contests.

He tied his career-high with four steals at Toledo and has 14 steals in the last five games with three against WKU and Fort Wayne and two at Bowling Green and vs. NKU. 

McFolley is currently second in the Horizon League with 1.7 steals per game. 

DRE DAY
Junior DeShawndre Black has had at least three assists in eight of the first 13 games, including a season-best seven assists against Manhattan and five assists at Murray State.

Black also has a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio on the season (34 assists, 12 turnovers). 

LONG BALL
Freshman Cole Long made his first collegiate start against WKU and played a season-high 34 minutes, posting four points, four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.

In his second start against Fort Wayne, he recorded four points, two rebounds and two steals. 

GIVE ME A GRANT
Senior Matthew Grant made his season debut against Fort Wayne and was in the starting line-up against NKU, where he finished with eight points, five rebounds and an assist in 31 minutes of action. 

HE CAN SHOOT THE 3?
Freshman seven-footer Malik Eichler is 5-for-5 behind the arc this season.

Eichler had a season-high seven points against Eastern Michigan, where he was 2-of-3 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 at the free throw line. 

He hit a three and grabbed a season-high three boards against Fort Wayne.

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 283 career games with 147 starts.

2017 LITTLE CAESARS MOTOR CITY MADNESS UPDATE
The 2017 Little Caesars Horizon League Men's and Women's Basketball Championship will run concurrently from March 3-7, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

Tickets to the 2017 Motor City Madness went on sale on Dec. 29 at motorcitymadness.horizonleague.org. 

The championship games will be held on Tuesday, March 7, with an automatic bid into the NCAA Men's and Women's Tournaments.

2017 marks the final year the Little Caesars Horizon League Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will be contested at Joe Louis Arena before moving to the state-of-the-art Little Caesars Arena, currently under construction in downtown Detroit. 

Over 20,900 fans attended the four-day tournament last year, the first neutral-site HL men's basketball championship since 2003.

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