2011-12 Schedule

Coach Rademacher Interview

DETROIT -- Seven teams with winning records, five postseason teams and two early season tournaments will get the Titans prepared for the Horizon League as the 2011-12 women's basketball schedule was released today.

“We had success early on two years ago when we played a really tough non-conference schedule and as we were 1-9 going into the conference season, that is when we were really able to turn it around and go 14-4 in the conference,” said head coach Autumn Rademacher. So we have just stuck with that theory of scheduling these really tough teams so it prepares us for the conference.”

All told, the known non-conference opponents on the schedule combined for a 150-106 (58%) record a year ago with five teams earning postseason bids. That number could go even higher as potential match-ups against a few more postseason teams - including national runner-up Notre Dame and NCAA tournament squad Utah - could also fall on Detroit's docket in early season tournaments.

After an exhibition with Madonna on Oct. 29 – a date that will also see the men play the Crusaders in an exhibition – the Titans will open the season in the Preseason WNIT at Indiana State (Nov. 11). The Preseason WNIT is a guaranteed three-game format from Nov. 11-20 that could see Detroit take on the Fighting Irish in the second round. All told, nine teams in the 16-team field made the postseason in 2011.

After the Preseason WNIT, Detroit returns home to a brand new floor in Calihan Hall as Bowling Green visits the Motor City on Nov. 22 in UDM's home opener. BGSU made the NCAA tournament a year ago as the Falcons posted a 28-5 overall mark.

It is then off to another tournament for the red, white and blue with a trip to Texas to compete in the UT-San Antonio tournament (Nov. 25-26). All three teams in the field (host Roadrunners, South Alabama, Utah) had winning records last season with the Utes earning an NCAA bid by winning the Mountain West Conference tournament.

UDM stays on the road with treks to Ball State (Dec. 1) and another NCAA team from a year ago in Michigan State (Dec. 6). Two days later, a full day of college basketball will take place on the Dick Vitale Court in Calihan Hall as another Big Ten opponent in Michigan – who made the WNIT last season – comes to town in what will be a doubleheader with the men facing Western Michigan.

The tilt against U-M is the start of a tough three-game homestand with a pair of 20-win teams to follow in 2011 WBI participant IPFW (Dec. 18) and another WNIT squad in Eastern Michigan (Dec. 20). The non-conference slate will end with a bus ride to Kalamazoo to meet Western Michigan on Dec. 22.

“I am very pleased with our schedule. I like the fact that we are playing a lot of in-state schools and we are excited to play those rivalries and those Big Ten schools,” added Rademacher.

All of that will get the Titans ready for the ever-strong Horizon League, which sent four teams to the postseason last year, including Green Bay's run to the NCAA Sweet 16. Butler made the WNIT, while Cleveland State and Wright State took part in the WBI.

“I believe the conference is very competitive, but we all have a chance,” said Rademacher. “I really think that the non-conference has a lot to do with it and we put ourselves in a position to get better and be ready.”

Detroit's HL schedule starts at home with Butler and Valparaiso visiting right before the New Year on Dec. 29 and 31, respectively. The Titans make their way to the Windy City to face UIC and Loyola the next week before another three-game homestand starts with Milwaukee on Jan. 12. Perennial HL power Green Bay will be in Calihan two days later, with Wright State closing things up on Jan. 21.

Other home conference dates will see UDM square off against Jesuit-rival Loyola on Feb. 2 and UIC on the 4th, with the Titans ending the home portion of the regular season schedule with match-ups against Cleveland State (Feb. 23) and Youngstown State (Feb. 25). The Titans will be in Ohio on the weekend of Jan. 26 to play YSU and CSU. UDM will then open a stretch where it plays five of the final seven games on the road with trips to Green Bay (Feb. 9), Milwaukee (Feb. 11) and Wright State (Jan. 16), while ending the regular season in Indiana at Butler (Mar. 1) and at Valparaiso (Mar. 3).

Tickets are now on-sale for all men's and women's basketball home games. Call to purchase your pre-sale tickets today. The Titan Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can be reached at (313) 993-1700. You can also visit www.DetroitTitans.com/TIX for more information, or call the Titan Ticket Office.