UDM beats Loyola of Chicago
By MICHAEL MARTINEZ
Special to FOX Sports Detroit
March 2, 2011
DETROIT -- The Detroit Titans had not hosted a Horizon League tournament game since 2006. They made up for the lost time Tuesday night, blowing out the Loyola Ramblers 90-69 to advance to the league's quarterfinals.
Chase Simon had 19 points for Detroit as six players scored in double figures for the Titans. Ben Averkamp led the Ramblers with 15 points and six rebounds.
"We had a very happy locker room and we're excited about our effort tonight," head coach Ray McCallum said. "In the first half, our defense made a statement, but our energy and effort in the second half put them away."
The Titans shot well in the teams' two regular season matchups, connecting on 52 percent of their shots. It was more of the same Tuesday night.
After a failing to make a basket for the game's first three minutes, Detroit shot over 43 percent from the field for the rest of the half and finished the game shooting nearly 54 percent.
"We've shot a high percentage all year, but what you're seeing is our defense getting better and coming together," McCallum said.
While the Titans appeared to score with ease, Loyola struggled from the field.
They shot only 33 percent from the field, and committed 17 turnovers.
"We had a lot of good looks that just didn't go down," Loyola head coach Jim Whitesell said.
A Simon three-pointer less than five minutes in gave UDM a 7-4 lead; one they would never relinquish.
"We really wanted to outwork them," McCallum said.
Detroit was nearly perfect from the free-throw line (an area they've struggled with) in the first half, hitting seven of eight freebies. They entered halftime with a 36-27 lead.
Nine minutes into the second half, the Ramblers cut UDM's lead to six, 55-49, but an 8-0 run over the next three minutes extended the Titan lead back to double digits for the remainder of the contest.
"It felt like deja vu from some of our regular season second halves," Nick Minnerath said. "But everybody just picked it up a notch."
The players acknowledged the friendly home atmosphere in their win, saying they didn't want to disappoint fans by ending their season.
"It's a wake up call," Simon said. "No one wants to sit at home watching everybody else play."
Although the Titans defeated Loyola twice in the regular season, they faced a Rambler team that had won three of its previous five games.
But the Titans were also playing well of late, winners of six of their last eight after Tuesday's victory.
"We're playing some of our best basketball," McCallum said. "We've improved our weaknesses and are playing to our strengths."
The Titans will face Valparaiso in the quarterfinals on Friday in Milwaukee.
This season marked the first time in Horizon League history three teams finished tied for the regular season championship. The top four teams finished closer in league standings than anytime in the last 24 years.
McCallum knows anything can happen, but he isn't worried about who the next opponent will be.
"It really doesn't matter; it's about us," he said.