DETROIT (9/4/2019) — Get your frequent flyer miles ready as the University of Detroit Mercy men’s basketball team has a number of power five schools on the non-conference schedule as the Titans released the first part of their 2019-20 slate today.
In total, the red, white and blue will play 13 games in the non-conference with nine away from the Motor City, including trips to North Carolina State, Clemson, Wyoming, Notre Dame, Gonzaga and a two-game tournament in Las Vegas against UC Irvine and Louisiana Lafayette.
“This is the type of schedule that I like to play, one that I believe will really help prepare us for the Horizon League,” said head coach Mike Davis. “We have a lot of big schools on the schedule and that is what I like to do, test our team against big competition.”
The home non-conference slate gets underway in December after seven road games in a row to start the season when the Titans host in-state rival Eastern Michigan on Dec. 7. The next week, Dec. 14, Detroit Mercy welcomes Toledo to Calihan Hall for a special doubleheader as both the men and women face the Rockets.
The final two non-conference home games will be visits from Northeastern on Dec. 19 and SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 21.
The opponents were a combined 258-176 (.594) a year ago with six teams earning postseason bids.
Season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by contacting Director of Ticket Operations & Sales Justin Hairston at 313-993-1700 ext. 7301 or at hairstjj1@udmercy.edu.
Nov. 10 at North Carolina State (24-12, 9-9 ACC)
- Titans trail the all-time series, 2-0, as NC State won an NIT match-up in 1978, 84-77, and 82-79 in 2013
- Advanced to the NIT quarterfinals last season
- Returns six of its top seven scorers from last season’s 24-12 team
- The Wolfpack enter the year 33-8 at home in the last two seasons
Nov. 17 at Clemson (20-14, 9-9 ACC)
- First career meeting between the two schools
- Advanced to the second round of the NIT last year
- Head coach is former Wright State head coach Brad Brownell
- Four of the team’s top five scorers from last season have graduated leaving just two players who scored at least 6.0 ppg.
Nov. 19 at Wyoming (8-24, 4-14 Mountain West)
- Titans lead the all-time series, 2-1, with wins in 1976 in the Motor City Classic and in 2001 at home and a setback on the road in 2002
- Wyoming returns four starters and eight letter winners, including three of its top four scorers
- The Cowboys have recorded 20-win campaigns in two of the last three years, winning the CBI in 2017
Nov. 24-26 MGM Grand Main Event
- Titans join a field that includes UC Irvine and Louisiana Lafayette
- UC Irvine was 31-6 overall and 15-1 in the Big West, advancing to the NCAA Tournament and beating Kansas State in the first round
- Louisiana Lafayette was 19-13 last season and 10-8 in the Sun Belt
Nov. 30 at Ohio (14-17, 6-12 MAC)
- Titans trail the all-time series, 3-1, after last year’s heartbreaking 63-61 decision at Calihan Hall
- Detroit Mercy defeated Ohio, 84-77, in 1971 in Ann Arbor during a tournament held at Michigan, while Ohio claimed a 66-65 victory in a BracketBusters game at Calihan Hall in February of 2005 and followed that up with a 56-55 win in Athens in December of 2005.
- Ohio is led by first-year head coach Jeff Boals
- The Bobcats return seven letter winners from last season, including the MAC Freshman of the Year Ben Vander Plas
Dec. 3 at Kent State (22-11, 11-7 MAC)
- Detroit Mercy trails the all-time series, 3-2, falling at home last season 76-72
- Kent State made the CollegeInsider.com Tournament last year
- The Golden Flashes return nine letter winners, including two of their top three scorers
Dec. 7 vs. Eastern Michigan (15-17, 9-9 MAC)
- Detroit Mercy leads the all-time series, 59-18, including 32-5 at home
- The 59 wins are the most in Titan history over any opponent, while the this year will mark the 78th career meeting, the fourth most against any foe trailing only Loyola Chicago (121), Xavier (95) and Marquette (88)
- EMU saw its top three scorers from last season graduate
Dec. 10 at Notre Dame (14-19, 3-15 ACC)
- Detroit Mercy trails the all-time series, 41-12, and is 4-19 on the road
- The teams last met in 2011 as the Fighting Irish won a 59-53 decision, ending a Titan two-game winning streak in the match-up
- Notre Dame has posted 20-plus wins in four of the last five and 12 of the last 14 seasons
Dec. 14 vs. Toledo (25-8, 13-5 MAC)
- Detroit Mercy trails the all-time series, 34-25, but is 18-12 at home against the Rockets
- Toledo earned a bid to the NIT last season after capturing its second-consecutive MAC West Division title
- The Rockets will see the departure of their top two scorers, but are set to return three starters
Dec. 19 vs. Northeastern (23-11, 14-4 CAA)
- Detroit Mercy leads the all-time series, 3-1, including 2-0 at home
- The Titans and Huskies last met in 2015
- Northeastern is set to bring back four of its top five scorers from last season
Dec. 21 vs. SIU-Edwardsville (10-21, 6-12 Ohio Valley)
- First career meeting between the two schools
- Head coach Brian Barone was an assistant coach at Green Bay for five years under current Bradley head coach Brian Wardle
- The Cougars return nine letter winners and three of its top four point scorers from a year ago
Dec. 30 at Gonzaga (33-4, 16-0 WCC)
- The Titans have won both previous meetings with an 80-75 victory at home in 1960 and 49-48 triumph at the Hawkeye Invitational in 1998
- A fellow Jesuit school who advanced to the Elite Eight last season
- Lost their top four scorers from last season
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