DETROIT (12/12/2019) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team opens a Saturday doubleheader of basketball, hosting Toledo in a non-conference battle from Calihan Hall at noon. The Titan men's basketball team follows against the Rockets at 3 p.m. ET following the women's basketball game. It's Alumni Day for both Titan basketball teams on Saturday with a ceremony taking place in-between the games from Calihan Hall for former basketball alumni and their families.
The women's basketball game against Toledo is set for an ESPN-Plus broadcast with
Denny Kapp calling all of the action. Admission into the game is $6 for adults and $4 for seniors and children and free for Detroit Mercy students as well as the Titan women's basketball alumni.
The Titans are also accepting new toys during both games of the doubleheader to benefit "Toys for Tots."
Detroit Mercy is playing in its second-straight contest at home and is in the middle of a four-game stretch at Calihan Hall during the month of December. The Titans host two consecutive Mid-American Conference opponents, hosting Toledo on Saturday and then Eastern Michigan next Saturday, Dec. 21 to close out non-league action.
On The Court:
- Detroit Mercy is coming off a 77-58 loss on Thursday, Dec. 5 to Valparaiso on Field Trip Day. The Titans hosted 4,574 kids and fans for the game, which was the third-largest home crowd for a Titan women's basketball home game in school history.
- Titan freshman guard Sylare Starks leads the Titans and ranks third among Horizon League freshmen in scoring at 9.1 points per game and has sank 12 3-pointers through nine contests. She ranks third among Horizon League freshmen in scoring, behind IUPUI's Natalie Andersen and Northern Kentucky's Ivy Turner.
- Senior Zoey Oatis is tied-for-third in steals per game (2.2) in the Horizon League and reached 100 career steals with four steals in her last game against Valpo.
- Freshman guard Sylare Starks was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week on Monday, Nov. 25 after she averaged 12.5 points and shot 50-percent from behind the 3-point arc (4-of-8) in a pair of games. She leads the team with five double-figure scoring efforts, including a Titan season-high 19 points against Sacred Heart on Nov. 29.
- The Titans are 9-20 in 29 career meetings with Toledo and have dropped the past three meetings, last winning in 2014 on the road in Toledo.
- Detroit Mercy shot above 40-percent for the fourth time in the past six games against Valparaiso, sinking 42.6-percent of its field goal attempts in that contest.
- The Titans have hosted more than 16,500 fans in their five Field Trip Day games over the past five seasons, twice clearing the 4,000-fan mark for a game.
- Head coach Bernard Scott is in his fifth season at the helm of the Titans and has led them to two top-four finishes and a Horizon League championship game in 2017.
- The Titans were picked to finish in ninth place in the 2019-20 Horizon League Preseason Poll.
- Detroit Mercy plays all four games in December at home, hosting Toledo (Dec. 14), Eastern Michigan (Dec. 21) and Oakland (Dec. 28) from Calihan Hall.
Last Time Out
The Titans dropped a 77-58 contest to Valparaiso on Field Trip Day from Calihan Hall on Thursday, Dec. 5. It was the third home game of the season for the Titans, which shot 42.6 percent in the contest and out-rebounded Valpo, 33-31.
Zoey Oatis (14 points),
Markyia McCormick (12 points) and
Maxine Moore (10 points) were both in double figures for the Titans, with Oatis adding seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.
The two teams combined for 39 points in the first quarter with Valpo taking a 44-34 halftime edge. The Titans pulled to within five points late in the third quarter, but Valpo pulled away in the fourth quarter for the win.
Tough Non-Conference
Detroit Mercy has another strong non-conference schedule in 2019-20 with the Titans playing five tournament squads and four teams that had better than 20 victories a season ago. A look at the seven non-league opponents that finished with a better-than .500 record in 2018-19:
- Opponent -- 2018-19 Record
- Michigan State (Big Ten, Away) -- 21-12
- Butler (Big East, Away) -- 23-10
- George Mason (A-10, Away) -- 16-14
- Akron (MAC, Home) -- 16-15
- Sacred Heart (NEC, Neutral) -- 19-13
- Tennessee Tech (OVC, Neutral) -- 22-11
- Toledo (MAC, Home) -- 21-12
Scouting Toledo:
- Toledo is 2-5 on the season with victories coming over Georgia State and Belmont.
- The Rockets also played Notre Dame tough on the road, falling 54-51, and dropped a 61-54 contest to Valparaiso at home on Nov. 27.
- Toledo is 1-2 in road games this season. UT is coming off a 21-12 season and a trip to the WNIT in 2018-19.
- Nakiah Black leads the team in scoring at 10.4 points per game and ranks second in rebounding (5.1 rpg). Mariella Santucci is second on the squad in scoring (8.9 ppg) and leads the Rockets in rebounding (5.6 rpg), assists (4.3 apg) and steals (15). Tatyana Davis adds 8.6 points per game for UT.
- Toledo averages 60.6 points per game and gives up just 61.9 from the opposition. Toledo is also shooting 39.6 percent from the floor.
Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to the hardwood on Saturday, Dec. 21, hosting Eastern Michigan for a 12 p.m. non-league contest in another doubleheader with the Detroit Mercy men's basketball squad. It's the final non-conference contest for the Titans before the red, white and blue open the Horizon League slate the following Saturday, opening conference play against Oakland on Saturday, Dec. 28 from Calihan Hall at noon.
