By MICHAEL MARTINEZ
Special to FOX Sports Detroit
DETROIT -- This weekend, the Detroit Titans had exactly what they wanted.
They had a crowd, on Friday the third largest home attendance (6,674) in the last 20 years, followed by 4,183 on Sunday. Both included a rowdy, raucous student section.
They had a national television audience.
They had the opportunity to move into sole possession of first place in the Horizon League.
"What a great scenario," said head coach Ray McCallum. "Every young player's dream."
But that dream quickly turned into a nightmare as the Titans realized the only thing they didn't have was a chance.
Outmatched and outplayed, UDM failed its first true test this season, being blown out by Butler Friday and losing by double-digits to Valparaiso less than 48 hours later.
"We're struggling," junior forward Nick Minnerath said. "To go 0-2 this weekend is disappointing."
But what's most disappointing is why Detroit had such little success.
"It's on the defensive end," Minnerath said. "No question."
Friday night, Butler shot nearly 57 percent from the floor. On Sunday, Valparaiso made 10 of its first 11 shots, and finished the game shooting almost 52 percent.
"Our help-side defense really hurt us," coach McCallum said after the loss to Valpo.
Following a year in which the Titans led the Horizon League in rebounding and field-goal percent defense, a lack of a defensive effort is more than discouraging.
Butler and Valpo also exposed a few other holes in the Titans' armor.
UDM was outscored in the paint, 48-38, in both games, and had seven times as many turnovers (35) as assists (5).
"We were kind of like our own worst enemy," McCallum said Sunday.
The lack of post presence could be attributed to the absence of Eli Holman. The Titans leading rebounder was suspended for the Butler game and played just 24 minutes off the bench against Valpo.
Lamarcus Lowe, Holman's replacement, played less like the shot-swatting machine that coaches have praised him as and more like a timid, first-year bench player.
In both games, Lowe attempted zero shots, and had just three rebounds and two blocks combined.
Detroit struggled to find its outside shot as well, connecting on just 23 percent of 3-pointers against Butler and shooting a meager 11 percent against Valpo.
But for their troubles, the Titans could take comfort in what Butler coach Brad Stevens had to say following his team's victory.
Asked if remaining in first place with a then-5-1 record meant anything to him, he responded that it was still "way too early" for that to even be a factor.
If it's still too early for Butler to feel comfortable on top of the league, then it's also too early for Titan Nation to write off this season as another missed opportunity. Detroit has yet to play every team in the conference, and for such a young team, the second go-around could yield better results.
Point guard Ray McCallum thinks he knows how UDM can right its ship.
"If we play defense well on the road, it will help our offense and everyone's confidence," he said. "That's how we're getting beat; they're scoring more points. We just need to come together and play more as a team."
(Michael Martinez is a junior journalism student at UDM.)
Jan. 17, 2011
