Box Score vs. Alcorn State 11-22-09
Three games, three days, three wins. That was the end result Sunday as the Titans closed out the Albany sub-regional of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer by rolling up their fourth straight victory overall, 79-59 over Alcorn State, behind center Eli Holman's second consecutive double-double.
UDM comes home from the event with a 4-1 record for the season and its first four-game winning streak since late in the 2005 season. Holman led the way with 16 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks against the Braves (0-6), while Xavier Keeling paced the Titans in scoring with 17 points and Chase Simon added 15 more as three Titans posted double figures in the victory.
Holman was named tournament MVP and Keeling joined him on the all-tournament team.
The Titans raced out to a 6-0 start before Alcorn State could answer and, as Keeling scored 11 points himself, pushed their edge to 22-9 less than nine minutes into the contest. The Detroit advantage grew to 42-25 by halftime and the Titans were never headed as they steadily moved closer to their victory. Keeling finished the first half with 13 points, while Holman put 10 points and eight rebounds into the books before intermission.
The Braves scored the first three points of the second half to gain a hint of momentum, but Holman quickly countered with a bucket for the Titans as they began rolling once again. In the end, the Titans posted their first win of 20 points or more since February, 2005.
UDM shot 49.2% from the field for the day (31-for-63) while holding the Braves to .386 accuracy, and the Titans also held a whopping advantage on the glass, 46-28, as Holman pulled down his career-high 15 boards.
Holman and Keeling did the heavy lifting for the Titans throughout the three-day event. Armed with double-doubles in wins over host Albany and Alcorn State, Holman averaged 16.7 points and 12.3 rebounds for the weekend. Keeling tossed in an even 17.0 points in the three contests.
The Titans – who have already won as many games away from home as they did all last season, thanks to this weekend's sweep of Robert Morris, Albany and Alcorn State – will return to Detroit to enjoy a quick Thanksgiving holiday break this week, then resume action on Saturday afternoon in Chicago as they take on DePaul. That game will be the Titans' last prior to venturing into Horizon League play on Dec. 3 against Youngstown State.
-Detroit Titans-
