Gameday Central - UCF DETROIT (12/18/2015) -- The Titans will put their three-game winning streak on the line as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team welcomes the Knights of UCF on Saturday, Dec. 19. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m., on Dick Vitale Court inside historic Calihan Hall.
It will be Military Appreciation Day as Titan Basketball has "joined forces" with the Michigan Veterans Foundation. All veterans and active military members, with proper ID, can receive free tickets in advance or on game day and an additional ticket for a friend or family member. Others in the group can purchase tickets for half-price.
The contest is part of the Horizon Leagued television package with ESPN and will be streamed nationally online at ESPN3.com and the Watch ESPN App, with Andy Masur and Tim Doyle on the call. Fans can listen to the Voice of the Titans
Dan Leach on an online audio stream on 97.1 (available online or on your phone with the Tunein or Radio.com APP). Live stats will also be available.
Detroit (5-3) has won three in a row and is looking for its longest winning streak since claiming four in a row during the 2012-13 season. UDM has also won eight in a row at home dating back to last season.
For tickets, call 313-993-1700 or visit
detroittitans.com/tix.
DETROIT VS. UCFThis will be just the second career meeting between the two schools as UCF won last year's match-up at home, 75-70.
The Knights led by as many as 18 in the second half, but Detroit fought back to make it a one-possession game with less than 30 seconds left before UCF sealed the game with free throws.
ABOUT THE KNIGHTSUCF returns six letterwinners and three starters from last year's team that finished 12-19 overall and 5-13 in the American Athletic Conference. The Knights have won four in a row and five of their last six and come into the contest at 5-3.
A.J. Davis leads the team in scoring at 12.0 ppg., and is also among the team leaders in rebounding (6.1) and assists (3.5). Adonys Henriquez is tallying 11.6 ppg., and 4.1 rpg., while Shaheed Davis is posting 10.4 ppg., and a team-high 6.8 rebounds.
The Knights also feature one of the biggest players in college basketball with 7-6 freshman Tacko Fall, who is averaging 9.4 ppg., and 6.1 rpg., to go with a team-best 24 blocks.
UCF is averaging 74.6 points and giving up 67.0 points per game.
LOOKING AHEADDetroit will hit the road for two-straight games surrounding the Christmas holiday as it visits Western Kentucky on Tuesday, Dec. 22, and Eastern Michigan on Monday, Dec. 28.
PERFECT AT HOMEDetroit is undefeated at home this season at 5-0 and has won eight in a row on Dick Vitale Court dating back to last season.
During the streak, the Titans have a win over:
Cleveland State - who made the CIT last year
Valparaiso - the 2015 HL Champions
Youngstown State - in the HL Quarterfinals
Northeastern - the 2015 CAA Champions who had a win over No. 15 Miami on the year
Toledo - a 20 win team last season
Bowling Green - a 20 win team last year who came into the game winners of six in a row
CALIHAN HOSPITALITYThe Titans have made life tough for non-conference opponents visiting Calihan Hall as Detroit is 81-19 in its last 100 home games against non-league schools.
AGAINST THE SUNSHINE STATEDetroit is 11-6 all-time against teams from Florida, but 8-0 when the Sunshine State teams have visited the Motor City.
The match-up is also the fourth-straight year that the Titans will take on a Florida-based program.
AGAINST THE AACThe Titans are 20-28 all-time against members from the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
POINTS, POINTS, POINTSThe Titans have had a great start to the year offensively as they are 25th in the nation - and second in the HL - in scoring averaging 85.3 points per game.
OFFENSIVE ATTACKDetroit has scored at least 75 points in seven of its eight games, including 88 or more four times. The lone contest it did not reach that amount was at then No. 16/13 Vanderbilt (52).
UDM has also made at least 30 field goals four times this season and has posted 39 baskets twice on the year.
Against UM-Dearborn, the Titans were 39-of-68 from the field (57.4%), including 15-of-27 (55.6%) from behind the arc and 29-of-39 (74.4%) at the free throw line. It was the highest field goal percentage since finishing at 68.2 percent in a victory at Youngstown State last season.
The 29 free throws were the most since going 37-of-43 at the charity stripe against Stony Brook in a triple overtime game in 2013.
In the win over Toledo, Detroit shot 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from the field and 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from three with four players in double figures, while in the win over Bowling Green, the Titans shot 47.1 percent (32-of-68) with 13 triples.
BOMBS AWAYDetroit was 15-of-27 from three against UM-Dearborn on Nov. 23, the most since knocking down 15 against DePaul in 2007.
UDM also tallied 11 against Central State, drained another 11 triples at nationally-ranked Vanderbilt, was 13-of-27 effort versus Toledo and hit 13 in its last outing against Bowling Green.
Last year, UDM hit 10 or more 3-pointers just three times all season.
The Titans are currently 16th in the nation in three-point field-goal percentage (41.7%) and 15th in three-point field goals per game (10.4), Horizon League bests in both categories.
POST PLAYUDM has outscored its counterpart in the paint, 275-236, including 46-20 against UM-Dearborn, 55-20 at Oral Roberts and 36-20 over Northeastern.
BLOCK PARTYThe Titans have recorded four or more blocks six times this year, and they are leading the Horizon League and 65th in the nation with 4.9 blocks per game.
That is all without a single athlete on the roster taller than 6-8.
PROTECT THE ROCKThe Titans committed 25 turnovers in the season opener, but still came away with a win.
Since that game, Detroit has turned it over just 73 times in the last seven outings.
WE LOVE THE 80'SDid you know that Detroit is a remarkable 50-5 overall when scoring 80 or more points under head coach
Ray McCallum.
The Titans are even better outside of the Horizon League where they have a 26-2 record when reaching 80 points.
Year-by-Year Mark When Reaching 802015-16 (3-1)
2014-15 (6-0)
2013-14 (3-2)
2012-13 (14-1)
2011-12 (9-0)
2010-11 (8-1)
2009-10 (7-0)
BASS IS BACKSophomore
Paris Bass - who missed the first seven games due to a suspension for violation of team rules - returned in a big way for the Titans against Bowling Green.
The reigning HL Freshman of the Year posted a team-high 25 points - tying his career best going 9-of-15 from the field - while tallying eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
It was his second career 20-point game behind the 28 he had at Oakland last year.
WHO WILL SCORE?Detroit has had five different Titans lead the team in scoring through eight games.
UDM has also had six different players net 20 or more in a game.
The depth and team chemistry was evident in the win over Bowling Green as Detroit led by double digits in the second half before the team's leading scorer
Chris Jenkins even netted his first point on a free throw to make it 64-52 with 11:22 left.
DOUBLE-UP CHRISJunior
Chris Jenkins has scored in double figures five times already, which includes a career high in points and two double-doubles.
He tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds against Toledo - where he also has a career-best four blocks. That came after tallying 14 points and six rebounds in the win over Northeastern, where he was 5-of-8 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers.
At No. 16/13 Vanderbilt on Dec. 2, he netted 11 points hitting three 3-pointers and registered a career-high four steals.
At Oral Roberts on Nov. 28, Jenkins had 16 points and a career-tying 13 rebounds. He started the streak with a career-high 25 points against UM-Dearborn, his second career 20-point game.
He is currently second on the team and is 13th in the HL in scoring (12.9).
He is also topping the team and ninth in the conference in rebounding (6.4) and is shooting 46.5 percent (33-of-71) overall, 45.2 percent (14-of-31) from three and 85.2 percent (23-of-27) at the charity stripe.
GETTING HOT EARLYSenior
Anton Wilson recorded his third career 20-point game as he led Detroit with 20 markers at Pittsburgh on Nov. 20.
He scored all 20 of his points in the first 20 minutes of play, the first Titan to score 20 in the first half since Nick Minnerath had 21 against Valparaiso on Jan. 17, 2013.
It was also one point off his career high of 21 set against UM-Dearborn in 2013.
Wilson now has seven double-digit scoring games on the year as he is coming off a 17-point performance against Bowling Green, where he connected on a season-high five 3-pointers.
He is currently leading the team in scoring at 13.9 points with a team-high 25 treys along with 4.5 rebounds, third on the team.
TRIPLE 3 SPECIALITYSenior
Anton Wilson started the season with back-to-back games hitting four 3-pointers, and he added another game with four treys nailing four at #16/13 Vanderbilt. He is coming off a game where he hit a season-high five 3-pointers against Bowling Green, one away from his career best.
He now has 14 career game with four or more treys.
He also has 70 career games with at least two 3-pointers and 23 games knocking down at least three triples.
#1 SHOOTING 3'SSharpshooting senior
Anton Wilson continues to make his name show up in the Titan record books.
He shot 41.8 percent from behind the arc last season, a number that ranks sixth in school history as he was 56-of-134 from long distance.
This season, he is hitting the three at 43.9 percent (25-of-57).
With his four triples in the season opener, he passed Titan legend and 12-year NBA veteran Willie Green and is now eighth in school history with 144 career 3-pointers.
He is also fifth in school history with a 40.6 career three-point field goal percentage.
Titan Career 3-Point Field Goal Leaders1. Rashad Phillips, 1998-01 - 348
2. Desmond Ferguson, 1998-00 - 235
3. Dwayne Kelley, 1990-93 - 224
4. Jon Goode, 2005-08 - 202
5. Greg Grays, 2001-02 - 169
6. Michael Jackson, 1992-95 - 157
7.
Juwan Howard Jr., 2012-15 - 146
8.
Anton Wilson, 2012-pre. - 144
Titan Career 3-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders1. Archie Tullos, 1985-88 - .433
2. Bill Wood, 1987-90 - .415
3. Tony Tolbert, 1993-94 - .409
Jon Goode, 2005-08 - .409
5.
Anton Wilson, 2012-pre. - .406
6. Derrick Hayes, 1997-98 - .405
BASS NAMED TO LOU HENSON AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LISTParis Bass was named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List, announced by the organization in early November.
The sophomore was one of nearly 40 outstanding mid-major college players to earn the Preseason All-America recognition, which is presented annually to the top Mid-Major player in Division I college basketball.
He is also the LONE underclassman to garner the honor.
The award is named in honor of Henson, who retired after a spectacular coaching career that lasted 41 years. When he left the game in 2005, he was sixth all-time in career Division I wins with 779. He is the winningest coach at both Illinois and New Mexico State and is one of only 12 coaches in the history of the game to take two schools to the Final Four.
HIGH-SCORING ROOKIEFreshman
Josh McFolley has scored in double figures in five of his seven games, including a season-high 20-points in the victory over Northeastern and 16 in the win versus Toledo.
He was 8-of-15 against the Huskies and 6-of-11 against the Rockets. He also had three steals versus UT, including a key steal with 21 seconds left that led to a layup to help seal the triumph.
He is currently third on the team in offense at 12.6 ppg. - second among HL rookies - while leading all freshmen in field-goal percentage (45.3%) and three-point field goals per game (2.1).
JA-LETHALSophomore
Jaleel Hogan has been in double figures six times so far on the year and is coming off his first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in the win over Bowling Green. He also had two assists and two blocks.
He recorded a career-high 16 points at Pittsburgh as he was a career-best 7-of-12 from the field with five rebounds.
He then had a 15-point performance - in just 15 minutes of action due to foul trouble - at Oral Roberts, where he was 7-of-11 from the field.
He is currently third on the team with 4.9 rebounds per game and fourth with 10.5 points per game, all while shooting 55.7 percent (34-of-61).
PAINT MANWith his strength, sophomore
Jaleel Hogan is uncanny in the paint showcased by his career 59.6 percent (96-of-161) field-goal percentage.
Last season, he ended the year with a blistering 62.0 field goal percentage (62-of-100), which would rank third in school history for a single season, but was 25 shot attempts shy from qualifying for that mark.
TOTAL CONTROLSenior
Carlton Brundidge has run the offense with excellence so far shown by his 2.8-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio on the year, second in the HL and 70th nationally.
He has 28 assists against just 10 turnovers.
GREAT START FOR CBCarlton Brundidge has jumped out to a quick start in his final year of eligibility.
Through eight games, he leads the team with 3.8 assists - eighth in the Horizon League - and is fifth on the team in scoring (10.1) and rebounding (4.0).
Brundidge posted a career-best 23 points at Oral Roberts - 17 in the second half - where he was a career-high 10-of-19 from the field with five boards and two assists.
He had 14 points in the season opener and followed that up with 12 points at Pittsburgh. Against UM-Dearborn, he scored 10 points and handed out a career-high nine helpers and is coming off a 12-point effort against Bowling Green, where he hit two 3-pointers to cool a BGSU comeback attempt.
The four-straight games in double figures to start the year was also a career-best streak.
GERALD'S CASEFreshman
Gerald Blackshear had an excellent start to his career and had a career night posting 12 points and five rebounds with a block in the win over Northeastern.
In his collegiate debut, he posted a game-high 10 rebounds to go with six points, three assists, three steals and a block against Central State.
He then had seven boards with three blocks against UM-Dearborn, seven caroms with seven points at Oral Roberts and six rebounds at #16/13 Vanderbilt.
Blackshear is second on the team and 13th in the Horizon League in rebounding at 5.6 per game.
EASY POINTSSenior
Anton Wilson is a career 83.5 percent shooter at the free throw line connecting on 81-of-97 career attempts.
He does not have enough free throw attempts to qualify for the school record book, or his career percentage would rank fourth.
