DETROIT (11/1/2025) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team will officially open the 2025-26 campaign on the road as the Titans visit UIC on Monday.

The Nov. 3 tip marks the earliest start to the season in school history. 

Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. (EST) at Credit Union 1 Arena and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Detroit Mercy and UIC were rivals in the Horizon League from 1995-2022, and all 56 career meetings between the two schools were as conference foes. 

The Titans are coming off a 2-0 preseason with wins over Grand Valley State and Central State. Last season, UDM was 8-24 on the season, but 5-5 at one point when injuries started to take their toll. With six letterwinners back and arguably five starters, UDM returns the most players and starters in the Horizon League, accounting for 68.8% of its offense, 49.7% of its rebounding, and 68.2% of its assists. 

The red, white and blue also return the league's top scorer in senior Orlando Lovejoy, who was named Preseason All-Horizon League First Team after finishing fourth in the conference at 16.3 points per game.

The Titans will also look to end a 24-game road-opening losing streak, as their last road-opening victory was an 87-65 tally at Chicago State to begin the 2000-01 campaign. 

UIC was 17-14 last year and 10-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference, tying for fifth place.