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Be it the 2006 Tigers in the World Series or Michigan State in the College Football Playoff against Alabama, you never quite know how a team is going to react after an extended break in the action.
The Titans were flatter than a pancake in their biggest showcase of the year.. (Photo by Joey Yashinsky)
Detroit Mercy spent the week leading up to the Horizon League tournament practicing, memorizing their opponent’s tendencies, and resting up. The hope was obviously that when Friday night came around, they would come out with an edge and eager to defend their pseudo-home court.
But like those error-prone Tigers and the offense-challenged Spartans, these Detroit Mercy Titans happened to be flatter than a pancake in their biggest showcase of the year. The last place Milwaukee Panthers jumped out to an 18-point first half lead and ultimately prevailed, 85-60, sending Bacari Alexander and Co. home without ever really being heard from in this tournament.
The latter part of the season, this Titans team had generally stayed close on most nights. They went a respectable 4-5 in their final nine and had matured from the team that was not very competitive during non-conference play.
But for whatever reason -- the five-night layoff, the rookie head coach or the added pressure of playing in their home city -- the Titans turned in their most lethargic performance of the season.
Jaleel Hogan, the Titans’ rock all winter long, was not quite himself. He easily converted the first basket of the game, but after that, was mostly a non-factor. He was part of a double-technical in the second half (a bad habit of his), saddling him with another personal foul that he couldn’t really afford to have. Milwaukee head coach LaVall Jordan had his group very prepared to defend what many consider to the league’s top interior player, saying, "We wanted to double him early. And not let him catch it deep.”
Hogan eventually fouled out with just 10 points and one rebound in 29 minutes of play. For Detroit Mercy to forge any kind of path through this bracket, it was going to have to be on the shoulders of Hogan, a 2nd-team All-Horizon selection. But he just never found any discernible rhythm.
Titans players Jaleel Hogan, left, and Corey Allen speak to sportswriters after the game.
Corey Allen and Josh McFolley, the club’s most dangerous outside threats, turned frigid playing in the Joe. The duo combined to make just 9 of 30 shots, including 3 of 12 from downtown.
Milwaukee looked nothing like the team that went 4-14 in Horizon League play, including nine consecutive losses to close out their regular season schedule.
Jeremiah Bell, who had scored a combined 13 points in his final four games, absolutely torched the Titans, exploding for a career-high 31. The Panthers ripped the nets at a 57 percent clip, while the Titans could muster just 34%.
It was a difficult debut season for coach Bacari Alexander. There were signs of life toward the end, but unfortunately that momentum was stopped coldly, right at the entrance to Joe Louis Arena.
