By MICHAEL MARTINEZ
Special to FOX Sports Detroit
Feb. 16, 2011
DETROIT -- Less than a week ago, the Detroit Titans were feeling pretty good about themselves. They had just upset Cleveland State for their third straight win, dislodging the Vikings from first place in the Horizon League.
It seemed momentum was on Detroit's side when the team traveled Thursday to Indiana for a rematch of the forgettable homecoming weekend that included blowout losses to Valparaiso and Butler.
But when the road trip was over, UDM had squandered its momentum, losing yet again to Valparaiso and Butler by double-digits.
While the first games between these teams proved to be utter failures for Detroit, the second go-around proved the Titans have learned from their mistakes -- at least a little.
In both games last week, Detroit built solid first-half leads. They led the Valparaiso by nine and Butler by seven before crumbling in the second half.
There's still plenty wrong with the Titans, but they've shown flashes of great play, and that can be attributed to an adjusted lineup and increased chemistry.
The team has grown closer as this year has progressed.
"We made a pact with each other after the (loss to) Green Bay," center Eli Holman said. "We said trust in each other would be key, and from that game on guys have lived up to that."
Holman, arguably the best big man in the Horizon League, has only started once -- against Butler -- in the team's last five games.
First-year transfer LaMarcus Lowe has filled Holman's enormous shoes. While Lowe hasn't put up large numbers on the offensive end, he has brought energy to the defense.
Lowe has blocked at least one shot in each game -- including a stretch of five blocks in less than three minutes against UIC -- and has made opposing guards think twice about driving the ball inside.
Holman, for his part, has embraced his bench role.
"He's been productive," coach Ray McCallum said, "and that's a sign of his experience and maturity."
The backcourt has been tinkered with, as well.
Jason Calliste suffered a head injury against Loyola and sat out against Cleveland State. Junior transfer Chris Blake started in his place and has yet to relinquish the role.
While Calliste adds an important dimension to the Titans as a deadly three-point threat, he's been in a shooting slump for about a month.
Meanwhile, Blake has produced double-digit points off the bench since becoming academically eligible in January.
He leads all guards, shooting 45 percent from the field, and is tied with Calliste for best three-point field goal percentage, although Blake has 71 fewer attempts.
Against Cleveland State, he pulled down a career-high six rebounds.
In addition to Blake and Lowe, freshman forward Even Brunisma has become a regular in the rotation.
Earlier this month, McCallum said his team was still in search of an identity and that everyone would be given an opportunity to play, in hopes that one group would start to click.
With only two weeks left in the regular season, the Titans may finally be close to finding that lineup -- possibly in time to salvage their season.
(Michael Martinez is a junior journalism student at UDM.)
