Gameday Central - Northern Kentucky DETROIT (2/14/2016) -- The final four games of the regular season over the next two weeks begins on Tuesday as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team makes its first-ever trip to HL newcomer Northern Kentucky.
Game time is set for 7:00 p.m., at BB&T Arena and will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN App. Fans can also listen to the Voice of the Titans
Dan Leach on CBS Radio 1270 AM, radio.com and the Tunein App.
Detroit ended its home schedule with a dominating 80-66 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday as UDM had two players post double-doubles for the second-straight game.
The win moved the Titans to 13-12 overall and 7-7 in the Horizon League, where they are just a half a game out of third place.
The Titans shot 53.1 percent against the Panthers, the seventh time this year that Detroit has been at 50.0- percent or higher. The red, white and blue currently lead the Horizon League in field-goal percentage at 46.6 percent.
The Titans will continue their road trip this week with games at UIC on Friday and at league-leading Valparaiso on Sunday.
DETROIT VS. NORTHERN KENTUCKYThis will be just the second career meeting between the two schools as NKU claimed the first match-up in Calihan Hall.
ABOUT THE NORSENorthern Kentucky has been battling in its first year in the HL, but the Norse have dropped four of their last five and enter the game at 9-16, 5-9 in the league.
Four NKU players are averaging double figures led by Jalen Billups' 13.0 points and 5.7 rebounds. Tyler White and LaVone Holland II are tallying 11.4 points, while Cole Murray is averaging 10.2 points.
Northern Kentucky is seventh in the league in scoring at 71.3 points, while standing fifth in defense allowing 74.0.
#MOTORCITYMADNESSThe Horizon League Men's Basketball Tournament - #MotorCityMadness - will take place just 9.2 miles away from campus.
The first two years of the five-year agreement with Olympia Entertainment will be played at Joe Louis Arena, home to the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings, before moving to the state-of-the-art Detroit Events Center, currently under construction in downtown Detroit.
For tickets, visit
motorcitymadness.horizonleague.org, Ticketmaster or call 313-471-7575.
Remember to mention Detroit to sit in the Titan fan section.
HL SCHEDULE PUZZLEThe Horizon League schedule has been interesting for the Titans this season.
Detroit played its first five league games and seven of its 10 contests in January at home.
All that time at home means February will be a heavy travel month with six of eight on the road, including the Titans last four games and the final two at Valparaiso and Oakland, the top two teams in the HL preseason poll.
STRONG AT HOMEDetroit finished the regular season 11-4 on Dick Vitale Court this year and winners of 14 of its last 18 home games.
On the year, Detroit is averaging 86.7 points at home and allowing 78.3, all while shooting 48.2 percent from the field.
On the road, Detroit is 2-8 this season and 3-14 in its last 17 away from Calihan Hall. On the year, the Titans are averaging 80.2 points and giving up 89.4.
SO CLOSEDetroit has suffered eight of its 12 losses by single digits, including six by five points or less and three games by one possession.
In Horizon League play, UDM has dropped a one-point game at Wright State (77-76) and against Green Bay (86-85), a three-point setback at Milwaukee (83-80), a home contest against Oakland (86-82) and an overtime decision at Green Bay (115-108).
GETTING DEFENSIVEThe Titans have held three of their last five opponents to under 70 points, including a season-low 63 points at Cleveland State, 68 to Wright State who is tied for second, and 66 against a high-scoring Milwaukee team.
Detroit also has 13 games on the year with seven or more steals, 11 with five or more blocks and seven games in which the opponent has turned it over 15 or more times.
UDM is second in the Horizon League with 13.75 forced turnovers per game.
POINTS, POINTS, POINTSThe Titans are eighth in the nation - and third in the HL - in scoring averaging 84.1 points, behind only Oakland (87.1) and Green Bay (85.7).
The 84.1 points are the best offensive numbers since averaging 92.6 points during the 1977-78 season under coach Dick Vitale.
The Titans have also scored 90 or more points seven times, the most since scoring 90 or more seven times in the 1987-88 campaign.
OFFENSIVE ATTACKDetroit has scored at least 75 points in 20 of its 25 games, including 88 or more nine times and 90 or more on seven occasions.
UDM has also made at least 30 field goals 11 times and has posted 39 twice.
The Titans lead the HL in shooting at 46.6 percent. They have also posted 50% or higher seven times, and 47% or higher 14 times.
Detroit is coming off a game in which it hit eight of its first 11 shots and finished shooting 53.1% (34-of-64) in the win over Milwaukee.
UDM also had an explosive game on offense as it scored 94 points and shot 53.8% (35-of-65) from the field at Youngstown State. That was after tallying 49.0% (24-of-49) at Cleveland State, including 52.0% in the second half. In the win over Wright State, Detroit shot 47.3% overall and 60.0% in the second half (12-of-20).
Against Oakland, UDM was at 52.4% (33-of-63) - including 58.1% (18-of-31) in the second half - while at Green Bay, the Titans were 48.7% (38-of-78), including 50% (25-of-50) in the second half and overtime.
GETTING TO THE LINEThe Titans are attacking the rim and getting a chance to score some easy points.
Detroit has visited the free throw line 402 times in HL play, connecting on 279 (69.4%), leading the Horizon League in attempts and standing second in makes in league-only games.
In the win over Wright State, Detroit was 28-of-37 (75.7%), while WSU was just 7-of-10.
Detroit was also 31-of-39 (79.5%) at the line in the win over UIC, setting a season high in made free throws. That was after going 25-of-29 (86.2%) in the win over Youngstown State and 28-of-42 (66.7%) in the triumph over Cleveland State.
The 42 free throws were the most since attempting 43 against Stony Brook in 2013.
CLEANING THE GLASSDetroit totaled a season-high 53 rebounds in the win over Youngstown State, outrebounding the Penguins by 33 (53-20).
The 53 boards were the most since grabbing 55 against Niagara in a 96-77 win in 2010.
It was the third time this season Detroit has recorded 45 or more boards as it had 52 against Central State and 45 at Oral Roberts.
UDM has also outrebounded opponents in its last four wins winning the boards against Wright State (31-21), at Cleveland State (39-27), at Youngstown State (33-31) and against Milwaukee (41-35).
The Titans are 11-3 on the season when outrebounding their counterpart.
DOWN LOW POWERDetroit has been getting it done in the paint this year showcased by its last game when it outscored Milwaukee in the paint, 46-18.
The 48 points in the paint is tied for the third-highest amount on the season for Detroit behind the 58 at Green Bay and 55 at Oral Roberts.
WHAT A SENIOR YEARSenior
Anton Wilson has 20 double-digit scoring games with three 20-point efforts.
He is second on the team in scoring at 14.4 ppg., - seventh in the HL. His 72 treys lead UDM and his 2.9 three-point field goals per game is second in the HL and 27th in the nation.
DOUBLE 2XThe Titans have had back-to-back games where two players have both recorded double-doubles.
Against Milwaukee, sophomore
Paris Bass posted a game-high 24 points with 10 rebounds, while senior
Carlton Brundidge tallied 16 points and a game and career-best 12 boards.
Against Green Bay, Bass and sophomore
Jaleel Hogan each recorded a double-double as Bass tallied a team-high 24 points and 13 rebounds and Hogan registered 18 points and tied his career high with 10 boards.
The performances marked the first time Detroit has had two players in double figures since Feb. 12, 2013, when Nick Minnerath had 34 points and 12 boards and
Ray McCallum totaled 16 points and 13 rebounds in a 92-62 victory over Cleveland State.
LONG RANGE CJJunior
Chris Jenkins set a career high with six 3-pointers at Cleveland State on Feb. 6, going 6-of-8 from distance.
He was 5-of-7 from three against Milwaukee his last time out and is now 14 for his last 22 (63.6%) from behind the arc in his last four games.
His 46.5 percent from three on the year is fourth in the HL, and he is just a few triples away from qualifying for national leaders where he would rank ninth in the nation.
GLASS MANSophomore
Paris Bass collected a career-high 17 rebounds at Cleveland State, which was just 10 less than what the entire CSU team recorded.
His 17 rebounds were the most by a Titan since Feb. 14, 2010, when Eli Holman had 18 vs. Milwaukee.
Bass has now collected double-digit rebounds in back-to-back games, three of the last four contests and five times in HL play.
In conference play, Bass is fourth in rebounding at 8.4 per game.
#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 44.2 percent (72-of-163), which is second in school history (48.1% by Archie Tullos in 1987). He is also seventh in the HL and 19th in the nation.
His 72, 3-pointers on the season is a new career high surpassing the 56 he had last year, and is the third-straight season he has made 50 treys in a season. He enters the game 11th in school history.
With his four triples in the season opener, he passed Titan legend and 12-year NBA veteran Willie Green and is now fifth in school history with 191 career 3-pointers.
He is also currently third in UDM history with a 41.4 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.
Anton Wilson, 2012-pre. - 191
Career 3-Point Field Goal % Leaders1. Archie Tullos, 1985-88 - .433
2. Bill Wood, 1987-90 - .415
3.
Anton Wilson, 2012-pre. - .414
Titan Season 3-Point Field Goal Leaders6. Jon Goode, 2008 - 79
7. Dwayne Kelley, 1993 - 74
Greg Grays, 2001 - 74
9. Rashad Phillips, 1999 - 73
Jason Calliste, 2013 - 73
11.
Anton Wilson, 2016 - 72
TRIPLE 3 SPECIALITYAnton Wilson started the season with back-to-back games hitting four 3-pointers, and he added another game with four treys at #16/13 Vanderbilt. He also hit a season-high five treys vs. Bowling Green and in the win Wright State, one off his career best.
Wilson has made a triple in 24 games this season with his only blemish his last time out against Milwaukee (0-for-3).
He has 18 career game with four or more treys, 86 career games with at least two 3-pointers and 33 games knocking down at least three treys.
BACK-TO-BACK 20'SJunior
Chris Jenkins tallied back-to-back 20-point games for the first time in his career as he registered a team-high 20 at Milwaukee and a team-best 25 at Green Bay.
With his 20 points at Cleveland State last weekend, he now has six career 20-point games - five this year.
His career high in points is 26 against UCF earlier this season.
In the last eight games, he is tallying 14.3 points on 35-of-70 (50.0%) from the field and 23-of-44 (52.3%) from three along with 4.6 rebounds.
ONE BIG FISHSophomore
Paris Bass - who missed the first seven games due to a suspension for violation of team rules - has been a force on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
He is coming off his fourth double-double of the season with a team-high 24 points and 10 rebounds against Milwaukee and that was after tallying 24 points and 13 boards against Green Bay.
Earlier in the season, he tied his career high for the third time with 28 points at Wright State, which included six rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Some other great games, included 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and six blocks at Green Bay and 20 points, eight rebounds, a career-high six assists, three blocks and a steal against Oakland.
LURKING IN THE WATERSophomore
Paris Bass returned to action in a big way against Bowling Green as the reigning HL Freshman of the Year posted a team-high 25 points, while tallying eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. In his second game, he tallied 23 points in a win over UCF.
Since he returned to the court, he has recorded double figures in 14 of his 18 contests, pulled down seven rebounds in 12 games and has had three assists or more 10 times, not to mention nine 20-point outings and four double-doubles.
His nine 20-point games is fourth in the HL, while his four double-doubles in HL games only is fourth.
He is averaging 17.7 ppg., 7.6 rpg., and 2.4 apg., and would rank fifth in the HL in scoring, sixth in rebounding and 15th in assists if he had enough games to qualify for the overall statistics leaders.
In Horizon League only games, he is fourth in scoring (18.0), rebounding (8.4) and blocks (1.7) and is tied for fourth in steals (1.4)
DOUBLE-UP CHRISJunior
Chris Jenkins has scored in double figures 15 times already, which includes four 20-point games, a career high in points and three double-doubles.
He netted his career-high 26 points with 10 rebounds and three steals in the win over UCF and had a great week in Wisconsin with 20 points at Milwaukee and 25 at Green Bay, team highs in both games.
He has also tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds against Toledo - where he also has a career-best four blocks.
He has twice tied his career high with four steals in a game and at Oral Roberts, Jenkins had 16 points and a career-tying 13 rebounds.
On the year, the do-it-all Titan has:
- 15 games in double figures
- 17 games with five or more rebounds
- 9 games with two or more assists
- 6 games with two or more steals.
He is currently third on the team and tied for 11th in the HL in scoring (13.0), while standing second on the team and tied for 11th in the league in field-goal percentage (49.5%).
He is also among the team leaders and the top 15 in the Horizon League in:
3-Point Field Goal Percentage (46.5%) - 4th
Free throw percentage (76.5%) - 8th
Rebounding (5.8) - 11th
JA-LETHALSophomore
Jaleel Hogan has been in double figures 15 times on the year, including the last six games. He recently posted his second double-double of the year with 18 points and a season-tying 10 boards against Green Bay.
Back on Jan. 16, he tallied a career-high 20 points with eight rebounds against Oakland. He had his first career double-double with 14 points and 10 boards vs. Bowling Green.
In the last six games, Hogan is averaging 13.7 points on 67.3 percent shooting (35-of-52).
He is fourth on the team with 4.1 rebounds and fourth netting 10.5 points per game, all while shooting 58.6 percent, second in the HL.
PAINT MANWith his strength, sophomore
Jaleel Hogan is uncanny in the paint showcased by his career 59.8 (171-of-285) field-goal percentage.
On the year, he is second in the HL in field-goal percentage at 58.6 percent.
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.
HIGH-SCORING ROOKIEFreshman
Josh McFolley has scored in double figures 11 times this year, including 16 points against Youngstown State on Feb. 6 - the most he has scored in HL play.
McFolley scored a season-high 20-points in a victory over Northeastern, 19 at Eastern Michigan and 16 in the win versus Toledo.
He handed out a season-high six assists in the win over Cleveland State.
He is currently fifth on the team with 9.2 ppg. - fourth among HL rookies.
He leads all HL freshmen in three-point field goals per game (1.7) - 13th in the HL - and is second among rookies in three-point field goal percentage (37.7%).
CB'S FINAL STANDCarlton Brundidge has had a career year so far in his final season of eligibility.
He is coming off a great week where he averaged 17.0 points and 9.5 rebounds, while shooting 60.0 percent (15-of-25).
He posted his first career double-double with 16 points and a career-high 12 boards against Milwaukee and that was after tallying 18 points and seven rebounds against Green Bay in just 20 minutes of action.
He is currently third on the team with 2.2 assists and is fifth on the team in scoring (9.4) and sixth in rebounding (3.7). He also leads the team with a 1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Earlier in the year, he 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 also had 12 points at Pittsburgh, and against UM-Dearborn, he scored 10 points and handed out a career-high nine helpers.
