Complete game notes (.pdf)
GAME 8
Youngstown State (4-1) at Detroit (3-4)
Date: Thurs., Dec. 1, 2011
Tip Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Detroit, Mich.
Arena: Calihan Hall (8,295)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/udmercy/mbball
Live Video: http://horizonleague.org/live/4549
ON TAP
The Titans will play the next four at home and six of the next seven at Calihan Hall in the longest homestand of the season, beginning Thursday. Detroit opens Horizon League play with Youngstown State Thursday night before a Saturday matinee with Cleveland State. The highly-anticipated "Dick Vitale Court Dedication" is on Monday against the St. John's Red Storm on ESPN2.
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
YSU is 4-1 on the young season with the lone loss coming to BIG TEN opponent Penn State (82-71, Nov. 23). The Guins are powered by sophomore guard Kendrick Perry, who leads the Horizon League in scoring thus far (18.2 ppg). Athletic Damian Eargle ranks second nationally with 4.6 blocks per game.
THE SERIES WITH YSU
Detroit has won 22 of the 29 all-time meetings between the schools, including the last five in a row. Prior to that, YSU had a five-game streak of its own. The Titans won 10 straight in the series at one point, starting with a 91-67 win on Feb 15, 1989 and ending with a 56-46 victory nearly 15 years later (Feb. 28, 2004). UDM is 2-0 in all-time meetings between the teams in the month of December.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Following the three games in five nights, the Titans host long-standing rival Western Michigan on Thursday. The game is part of a doubleheader with the Titan women battling Michigan at 5:00 p.m. Detroit will then play at nationally-ranked Alabama before closing out the bulk of its non-conference schedule, hosting Mississippi State and Alabama State before Christmas.
LAST TIME OUT
Senior Chase Simon poured-in 27 points but it was not enough as host Akron defeated Detroit 81-63 on Saturday. The Titans ran out to a 9-2 advantage but a 14-2 spurt for the Zips gave them the lead for good. Simon produced another 20+ point performance, his third of the young season, on 10-of-15 shooting. He also led the Titans with seven rebounds.
LOWE DOWN
Senior LaMarcus Lowe ranks 17th in the NCAA in blocked shots per game, averaging 3.1 per contest in the early going. Lowe has swatted at least two shots in each game this season and registered block No. 100 in a Detroit uniform with his second rejection at Akron.
TITANS TO WEAR THROWBACKS DEC. 5
The nationally-televised game against St. John's will feature commemorative “throwback” jerseys for the current Titan players that reflect the uniform likeness from the 70s teams that Vitale coached.
The jerseys will be worn for that game only and then will be sold at auction. A portion of the proceeds from the auction and the evening's ticket sales will benefit the “V Foundation”, in support of Dick Vitale's long-time friend and colleague, Jim Valvano, who lost his battle with cancer in 1993. The V Foundation has awarded more than $90 million to more than 100 facilities nationwide and proudly awards 100% of direct donations and net event proceeds to cancer research.
TOYS FOR TOTS PROMOTION
The Titan Athletic Department will participate in the well-known “Toys for Tots” program during men's basketball games against Youngstown State on Dec. 1 and Cleveland State on Dec. 3. Fans bringing an unwrapped toy are eligible to receive a buy one, get one FREE ticket to either game. Fans attending the Cleveland State game on Sat., December 3 will also be treated to the Canine Express Flyball Dogs at halftime-- which is always a family-friendly show!
NIT FINAL FOUR TEAM RECOGNIZED SATURDAY
Members of the 2000-01 Detroit Titan team will return to Calihan Hall for a special recognition. The athletic department will honor that team which advanced all the way to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) Final Four in New York.
NICK MINNERATH SUFFERS SEASON-ENDING INJURY
Senior Nick Minnerath was injured in the fifth game of the year-- at Bowling Green State Tuesday. Coach McCallum confirmed last week that Minnerath suffered the knee injury very early in the BGSU game and will not compete again this season.
SIX OF ONE, HALF-DOZEN OF ANOTHER
Six different Titans scored in double figures in the blowout win over Concordia on Nov. 18. What normally would be a rare occurrence has happened twice already this season after six Detroit players scored at least 10 points in the overtime win over Austin Peay on Wednesday. The Titans have achieved the feat three times in the last eight contests dating back to last season.
GRAND CLOSING
Senior Chase Simon closed-out the CBE Classic in style, knocking down a pair of free throws in the final seconds of overtime to ice a win over Austin Peay Wednesday. Impressive enough in its significance, the points gave him exactly 1,000 in a Titan uniform becoming just the 35th Detroit player to reach that plateau at the school. Simon has 1,098 collegiate points to his credit with this being his third season in a Detroit uniform following his freshman campaign at Central Michigan.
SHOTS FROM THE HEART
Head Coach Ray McCallum will participate in the second annual Shots From the Heart Tournament, benefitting the Skip Prosser Foundation. McCallum is competing in a 64-person, bracket-style single elimination free-throw shooting tournament with 63 other NCAA Division I head coaches. His first round opponent is John Groce of Ohio University. Each coach will shoot 25 free-throws at their convenience and report the results. Coach knocked down all 25 of his shots in the first round and looks to be a force with which to be reckoned in the bracket. Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg took home the title last season. First round competition will be complete at the end of November. Follow detroittitans.com for updates on Coach Ray's progress in the tourney. For more on the "Shots from the Heart", got to http://collegeinsider.com/shots.
