DETROIT-- Five Titans were in double figures as 4,149 fans witnessed Detroit jump out to a 17-point first-half lead en route to a 76-65 win over Butler Sunday afternoon on Dick Vitale Court at Calihan Hall.  Junior Jason Calliste led all scorers with 16 as the home team went 9 of 16 from distance in the win.

Teams are always in search of those "season-defining" games.  While the win over St. John's on Dick Vitale Court dedication night and a lop-sided win over Western Michigan were nice-- this one may have best fit the bill.  A Titan team that needed to reassert itself into the Horizon League race got production in nearly every facet, dominating an out-of-sorts Butler team that normally prides itself on grit.

"This is a great sign the way we played the game," Detroit head coach Ray McCallum said to the media following the game. "We had to play tough today.  The guys just wanted to win.  It was an opportunity to make a statement.  In order for us to even be talked about to be in the race, we had to win."

Detroit (8-10, 2-4 Horizon) entered the game making just 26.8 percent of its three-point shots, but made eight of its first 13 Sunday and was just four shy of equaling the output of its other five conference games combined.  It was that proficiency from the perimeter, along with a quick start and a sharpened intensity on the glass-- especially in the first half-- that provided the right ingredients for the win.

The fast start came on a Chase Simon three on the first possession and a Ray McCallum trey gave Detroit a quick 8-0 lead to force a Butler timeout.  BU (9-8, 3-2 HL) had to burn another timeout several minutes later when Doug Anderson finished a rim-rocking alley-opp from Simon, firing up the Calihan crowd with an 18-8 Titan lead. 

Detroit stretched its advantage to as many as 17 points in the opening period before three straight Butler triples closed the gap.  At the break, Detroit enjoyed a 38-26 lead thanks to its interior presence that produced a 22-11 rebound advantage and six blocked shots.

The momentum carried over into the second half as the Titans never let the lead dip below double digits.  In fact, Calliste's free throws with 5:07 remaining put Butler down 23, its largest deficit of the season.

Calliste led all scorers with 16 points while Horizon League-leading scorer Simon added 15 points.  McCallum chipped-in 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds while Donavan Foster had 11 and Anderson posted 10-- six on rim-rattling dunks.

Detroit heads to Wisconsin this week with tilts at Green Bay and Milwaukee.  The Titans take on the Phoenix Thursday night before a Saturday night showdown against the Panthers.  Both games are available on the Horizon League Network.

Notes: Sunday's win snapped a 10-game skid against Butler with the last Detroit win coming Feb. 2006 at Calihan Hall ... that win featured a Jon Goode bucket in the closing seconds to secure the victory ... UDM's nine triples Sunday tied a season high and was easily its best percentage for a game (.563) ... McCallum's seven assists tied a season high dating back to the opener ... Foster's 11-point output etched a new personal season best.