Detroit Titans
Horizon (20-12, 12-4)
Detroit did end up with many quality non-conference wins, but they did prove that they could keep up with some quality opponents. They lost by three points against St. John’s early in the season and lost by just four points at Syracuse in December. In late February they took Temple down to the wire. Coach Ray McCallum has a team that can score in bunches, but getting that clutch stop has proven difficult.
Big Wins: 12/15 Akron (80-73), 1/30 at Wright State (83-76), 2/16 at Valparaiso (84-74)
Bad Losses: 11/27 at Bowling Green (65-70), 1/12 at Cleveland State (62-74), 2/9 at Green Bay (59-68)
Coach: Ray McCallum (5 seasons at Detroit)
Why They Can Surprise:
One of those big time scorers Coach McCallum has is his son Ray McCallum. The younger McCallum leads the Titans with 18.8 points, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. McCallum is a great athlete who can be a nightmare to guard when his shot is falling. McCallum has been relatively inconsistent beyond the arc, but he is still an extremely efficient scorer. Backcourt mate Jason Calliste is the most prolific shooter on the team and connects on over two three-pointers per contest. Swingman Juwan Howard, Jr. can also hit some long balls. The efficient offense continues in the frontcourt where Nick Minnerath and Doug Anderson will start. Minnerath can be tough to guard since he is 6-9 and has range well beyond the arc. But Minnerath is not just a scorer; he will mix it up in the paint as well. Anderson stays around the paint for the most part and does a lot of the dirty work. Usually a player labeled as doing the dirty work does not score much, but that is not the case with Anderson, who averages 12.1 points per game.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Any team that scores a lot of points is going to give up quite a few too. However, the Titans defensive issues go well beyond points. Their overall field-goal percentage defense and three-point field-goal percentage defense are among the worst in the nation. That means when the opposition gets off a shot, it is going to be a pretty good look. Part of the problem is the lack of a shot blocker and a lack of overall team depth does not help. Evan Bruinsma, a 6-8 forward, is the only player who sees any significant action off of the bench. He nearly plays starter minutes. After him, the experience drops off significantly for Coach McCallum and playing six guys in a game that is going up and down the floor is not easy.
Probable Starters:
Jason Calliste, Junior, Guard, 14.3 ppg, 3.3 apg
Ray McCallum, Junior, Guard, 18.8 ppg, 4.5 apg, 5.2 rpg
Juwan Howard, Jr., Sophomore, Forward, 7.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Doug Anderson, Senior, Forward, 12.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Nick Minnerath, Senior, Forward, 14.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Evan Bruinsma, Junior, Forward, 5.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 78.1 (10th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 70.5 (270, 8)
Field-Goal Percentage: 45.9 (53, 2)
Field-Goal Defense: 46.2 (318, 9)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.3 (73, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 34.8 (123, 3)
Free-Throw Percentage: 71.9 (87, 4)
Rebound Margin: -0.2 (187, 4)
Assists Per Game: 14.8 (56, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 10.9 (18, 1)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
2012 NCAA Second Round loss to Kansas
2002 NIT Opening Round loss to Dayton
2001 NIT First Round win over Bradley
2001 NIT Second Round win over Connecticut
2001 NIT Quarterfinal win over Dayton
2001 NIT Semifinal loss to Alabama
1999 NCAA Round of 64 win over UCLA
1999 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Ohio State
1998 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Purdue
1998 NCAA Round of 64 win over St. Johns
*all team stats through 3/10
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
