DETROIT (10/22/2025) -- Fans will get the first look at the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team as the Titans open the preseason by hosting Grand Valley State on Friday.

Game time is set for 7:00 p.m., on Dick Vitale Court in Calihan Hall. There will be free admission to the game, but no live broadcast.

Detroit Mercy leads the overall series, 4-1, but has not met GVSU since 1988, when the Lakers defeated the Titans, 77-68. 

At the time, Grand Valley State was coached by a former Titan, Tom Villemure, who played two years for the University and helped the team reach the NIT in 1960 and 1961. He averaged 6.0 points as a Titan, but none bigger than a jumper at the buzzer that helped U-D beat No. 3 Indiana, 81-79, in double overtime at home in 1960. He would coach at Grand Valley State for 24 years and is GVSU's all-time winningest coach. 

The Titans - picked in the Horizon League Preseason Poll - will bring a 14-man roster into the contest as eight newcomers join six returners this season, the most starters and the most letterwinners in the Horizon League, led by Horizon League Preseason First Team selection Orlando Lovejoy. He is the league's returning scorer at 16.3 points and also averaged 4.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, shooting 44.7% overall and 86.7% at the line, ranking in the top 10 in the HL in scoring (4th), assists (7th), steals (2nd), field-goal percentage (8th), free-throw percentage (2nd) and minutes played (2nd - 35:05).

Grand Valley was picked fourth in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll as the Lakers went 16-13 overall last season. Head coach Cornell Mann is in his fourth season, while former Titan Caileb Brown is an assistant coach on the squad.

This will be the first of two exhibitions for the Titans as they will play Central State next Thursday, Oct. 30, in the 1st Annual Horatio Williams Foundation Hoops & Culture Event, held at Wayne State.