The University of Detroit Mercy will honor former Titan great Earl Cureton as part of the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend Legends Classic tournament at Calihan Hall.  The three-day, four-team subregional will pit UDM against Albany, Bowling Green and Niagara Friday through Sunday.  Cureton will be lauded during Saturday's contest against Bowling Green at 7:30 p.m.

Even though he only played two seasons for the red, white and blue, Cureton left a lasting impression on the men's basketball program both on and off the court.

He played two seasons in the Motor City after transferring from the University from Robert Morris. In his two years, Detroit went 36-19 and Cureton was a major reason for Detroit's success. Cureton, who earned the nickname “The Twirl” for his great spin move, helped the team to a 22-6 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1979 after posting 11.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. A year later, Cureton was the main man in the middle as the center topped the squad averaging 19.9 ppg., and 9.1 rpg.

A defensive intimidator, Cureton left the Titans among the school's leaders in overall blocks (79) and blocks in a single season as he tallied 47 in his senior campaign. He left college amassing 1,716 career points in his four years, including 865 as a member of the Titan program. He also shot over 50 percent from the field in both of his seasons for the red, white and blue.

Cureton would go on to a lengthy 12-year professional career as he was drafted in the third round of the 1979 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. During his time in the NBA, he appeared in 674 games playing for seven teams, and was on two championship teams winning the title with Philadelphia in 1983 and the Houston Rockets in 1994.  His best NBA season came in 1986 as he averaged 8.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his hometown while playing for the Detroit Pistons.

In 2007, Cureton was enshrined into the Titan Hall of Fame and is still an active member in the UDM athletic department as he is involved in Titan broadcasts as a color analyst for FOX Sports Detroit.

A Detroit native, Cureton starred at Finney High School before embarking on his collegiate and pro career. He also coached in the WNBA for the Detroit Shock and the Charlotte Sting.