The 2011–12 Detroit Titans men's basketball team represented the University of Detroit Mercy in the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by fourth year coach Ray McCallum, the Titans played their home games at Calihan Hall as members of the Horizon League. They finished the season 22–14 overall, 11–7 in Horizon League play, and finished in a three-way tied for third place.
Playing in the Horizon League tournament as the No. 3 seed, they defeated Loyola (IL), Youngstown State, and Cleveland State to advance to the championship game. In the championship, Ray McCallum Jr. led the Titans with 21 points, as Detroit defeated No. 1 seed Valparaiso 70–50.
As tournament champions, they received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The team was given a 15 seed in the Midwest Region, and were matched up with No. 2 seed Kansas in the second round. Despite 15 points from Doug Anderson, and 11 rebounds from Eli Holman, Kansas cruised to a 65–50 victory, ending the Titans season.
Roster
Schedule
!colspan=12| Exhibition
!colspan=12| Regular season
!colspan=12|Horizon League tournament
!colspan=12| 2012 NCAA tournament
Game notes
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalMAD 27 25 52UDM 48 64 112 10/29/2011 – Detroit vs Madonna Detroit played host to the Madonna University Crusaders, an NAIA school in the Titans' first exhibition game of the season. Nick Minnerath had a team high 27 points, going 5 of 8 from three-point range, grabbed 8 rebounds, and recorded 4 steals. Detroit led 48–27 at half-time, and scored 64 more in the second half en route to a 112–52 victory.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalASH 32 33 65UDM 55 41 96 11/05/2011 – Detroit vs Ashland Detroit's final warmup game before the regular season came against NCAA Division II Ashland University Eagles. The Titans started strong, hitting 9 of their first 11 shots taken. Ashland fought back to get the game to 22–17 with 8 minutes remaining in the first half, but the Titans surged again to take the 55–32 lead at half-time with Jason Calliste scoring 15 points being 4–of–4 from the field along with five assists, two rebounds, and three steals in the opening frame as his team shot 76.9% on field goals. Detroit never looked back and ended the night with a 96–65 victory on 66.7% shooting. Ray McCallum shot 8–of–10 on the night and lead Detroit in scoring with 24 points, adding three steals and five rebounds.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalLEC 20 37 57UDM 48 47 95 11/11/2011 – Detroit vs Lake Erie The Detroit Titans opened the season at Calihan Hall in dominant fashion, defeating the NCAA Division II Lake Erie College Storm 95–57. Lake Erie held Detroit scoreless for the first four minutes of the game, going up 6–0 before Nick Minnerath hit a three-pointer, his first points of 19 tallied in the half. Detroit eventually took the lead 11–10 and soon after scored 18 unanswered points, ending the half on a run of 37–8 to go up 48–20. Chase Simon led the charge in the second half, scoring 22 of his game high 24 points in the frame. Overall, he was 8–of–12 shooting in 28 minutes on the floor. Minnerath finished with 23 points and 8 rebounds in the victory, and Ray McCallum added 7 assists and 15 points.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalUDM 31 22 53ND 28 31 59 11/14/2011 – Detroit at Notre Dame Detroit faced its first difficult test of the season against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish of the Big East Conference in the College Basketball Experience Classic. Notre Dame connected on its first three jumpers to take an early 6–0 lead, but Ray McCallum hit three straight treys to lead the Titans to their first lead of the night at 9–8. Nick Minnerath was held to four minutes in the half, picking up three quick fouls. Detroit went on a 14–2 run to go up by 6 in the first half and would go into half-time with a 31–28 lead. The Titans started strong in the second half, stretching their lead to as much as 8 after a layup from McCallum to put the Titans up 41–33 with 14:04 remaining in the game. However, poor shooting plagued Detroit, as Notre Dame held the Titans without a field goal for almost 8 minutes, going on a 14–0 run to take a six–point lead. Detroit held Notre Dame at bay with its defense, but in the end could not overcome its shooting woes, losing to the Fighting Irish 59–53. McCallum lead all Titans with 20 points, contributing 4 assists and 7 rebounds. LaMarcus Lowe had a strong outing, posting 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalCON 37 31 68UDM 48 65 113 11/18/2011 – Detroit vs Concordia (MI) The Titans returned home to Calihan hall to face the NAIA Concordia University Ann Arbor Cardinals in coach Ray McCallum's 100th game leading Detroit. Detroit faced strong opposition with Concordia matching the Titans shot for shot for the first 11 minutes of the game, leading by as much as 5 after a layup by Jeremy Simmons put the Cardinals up 26–21. The Titans countered with a quick 9–0 run to go up 32–26 and never relinquished their lead. Detroit led 48–37 at the half, but let out a 62.5% field goal shooting offensive barrage in the second half, outscoring Concordia 65–31 en route to a 113–68 blowout. Jason Calliste landed a career-high six three-pointers and led all scoring with 19 points, Doug Anderson in his first start for Detroit contributed a double-double with 12 points and a team-high 13 rebounds, and Chase Simon came close to recording a triple-double, tallying 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalUDM 28 45 73GW 45 41 86 11/21/2011 – Detroit vs George Washington Detroit traveled to Bowling Green State University to take part in the CBE Classic, playing their first of three games in three days against the George Washington Colonials. The Colonials had hot shooting throughout the game, hitting 53% of their field goals to take a 45–28 lead after the opening frame. The Titans were down by as much as 26 in the second half before they attempted to mount a furious comeback, going on a 26–6 run to bring the George Washington lead down to 6 at 77–71. The lead was too much to overcome, as the Colonials ran away with the game resulting in a Detroit loss, 86–73. Nick Minnerath led the team scoring with 18 points, and LaMarcus Lowe contributed 10 rebounds, 9 points, and 5 blocked shots.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalUDM 27 34 61BGSU 26 41 67 11/22/2011 – Detroit at Bowling Green In the second game of a three-game stint in the CBE Classic, the Titans faced host Bowling Green and the Falcons. Turnovers cost the Titans early, as they lost the ball 10 times in the first 10 minutes of the game. Nick Minnerath took a charge early from a Bowling Green player, resulting in a knee injury that left him in the locker room for the remainder of the game. It was later revealed that the charge tore his MCL, putting him out for the entire season and leaving Detroit with just eight remaining eligible players. Detroit overcame early shooting woes to lead 27–26 at halftime. The Titans had a few bursts of offense to start the second half, gaining two separate 5-point leads, but the undermanned roster couldn't overcome shooting woes and the loss of Minnerath, falling 67–61 to the Falcons. Evan Bruinsma stepped up and led all Titans in scoring with 17 points on 7–of–10 shooting, adding 7 rebounds. Jason Calliste had 16 points and 9 rebounds as the Titans fell to 2–3 on the year.
Team1st Half2nd HalfOTFinalAP 37 43 13 93UDM 50 30 14 94 11/23/2011 – Detroit vs Austin Peay Detroit played its third and final game in three days of the CBE Classic in Bowling Green, Kentucky, taking on the Austin Peay Governors. Only eight Titans suited up for the game. Heavily undermanned with Eli Holman and Chris Blake still suspended and Nick Minnerath lost to an injury suffered the night before against Bowling Green State, Titans players Evan Bruinsma, Doug Anderson, and LaMarcus Lowe have been left to rise to the occasion. Anderson, Jason Calliste, and Chase Simon hit three-pointers in the first few minutes to give Detroit an early 16–8 lead. The Titans shot 54.3% from the field in the first half and 6–of–12 on three-pointers, taking a 50–37 lead at half-time. The second half was sloppy for Detroit, as they turned the ball over 12 times while Austin Peay continued to chip away at the lead, eventually tying the game 80–80 with 33 seconds left in regulation. The game went to overtime, where the Titans led for almost the entirety of the period. Simon and Calliste had Detroit perfect from the free throw line in the final 15 seconds. Austin Peay made a three-pointer as time expired, but it wasn't enough as the Titans held on for the win 94–93. Simon led the team in scoring with 20 points, Bruinsma had a double–double in 33 minutes, grabbing 12 rebounds and adding 15 points on 6–of–10 shooting.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalUDM 32 31 63AKR 43 38 81 11/26/2011 – Detroit at Akron The Titans traveled to the University of Akron, attempting to avenge an eight-point loss in their previous encounter a season ago against the Zips. The Titans led to start the game 9–2, but Akron soon caught up and pulled away early with a 14–2 run in the first half. The Zips never relinquished their lead, beating the Titnas 81–63. Chase Simon lead the team in scoring and rebounding, tallying 27 points on 10–of–15 shooting and 7 rebounds in 39 minutes, and was the only Titan player to score in double figures.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalYSU 35 29 64UDM 34 27 61 12/1/2011 – Detroit vs Youngstown State The Titans began conference play by hosting the Youngstown State Penguins. Youngstown State got off to an early lead 12–4, but Detroit went on a 12–2 run to take the lead 16–14. The teams traded baskets before the Penguins got out to a five–point lead with just three seconds remaining in the half. Chase Simon his two free throws. On the inbound pass, Donovan Foster stripped the ball and gave it to Ray McCallum for the layup as time expired, bringing the Penguin lead down to just one at 35–34. There were many lead changes in the second half, with Detroit leading by as much as 5 at 55–50 with 5:40 remaining in the game, but Youngstown State marched back and took back the lead on a three–pointer by DuShawn Brooks after two consecutive missed free throws by Simon. The Penguins' Kendrick Perry made two key free throws with less than a second remaining. The Titans were unable to get a shot off from behind mid–court as Detroit fell 64–61, breaking a five–game winning streak against Youngstown State. Ray McCallum had his highest scoring output of the season, leading the team in scoring and rebounding with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Chase Simon also had 21 points, and LaMarcus Lowe added 4 points and 9 rebounds.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalCSU 37 29 66UDM 31 30 61 12/3/2011 – Detroit vs Cleveland State Detroit hosted the 7–1 Cleveland State Vikings to try again to get their first conference win. The Titans started slow, being held scoreless for the first 3:32 of the game. Cleveland State got off to a 12–4 lead, but Detroit went on a 10–0 run to take the lead by 2. There were six lead changes and seven ties in the half, but Cleveland State had a late surge to lead at the half 37–31, capitalizing on 12 Titan turnovers. In the second, the Vikings extended their lead to 14, only to be held scoreless for over six minutes and see the Titans go on a 13–2 run to bring the lead for CSU down to 3. Cleveland State stretched the lead back to 7 with 25 seconds remaining, and the Titans lost in the effort 66–61, falling to 3–6 on the season and 0–2 in conference play. Doug Anderson led the team in scoring for the first time this season, putting up 17 points on 5–of–7 shooting and 7–of–7 from the free throw line.
Team1st Half2nd HalfFinalSJU 21 42 63UDM 32 37 69 12/5/2011 – Detroit vs St. John's