Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

GAME NOTES: The Detroit Titans try to bounce back from a disappointing outing as they challenge the Crusaders of Valparaiso in a Horizon League matchup at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

After winning back-to-back meetings with Loyola-Chicago and Illinois-Chicago last week, the Titans took their shot at Butler two nights ago, a team that Detroit took to overtime in the first meeting of the season. After a hard- fought 40 minutes of action, the Titans again found themselves on the short end of a 63-58 final, dropping the team to 7-5 in conference play.

As for Valpo, it too was in action on Thursday night and was handed a 75-71 defeat by Wright State at home. The loss was the second in the last three outings for the Crusaders, who are now an even 6-6 in league action.

With their 77-67 win in the first meeting of the season last month, the Titans moved to 10-6 in the all-time series with Valpo.

Even though the Titans shot just 39.1 percent from the field in the first half, the team trailed Butler by only four points at the break. However, the team ended up just 12-of-18 at the free-throw line and suffered 16 turnovers in the five-point setback. Chase Simon emerged as the top scorer for the group with his 15 points, while Thomas Kennedy tacked on 12 points on the night as well. Over the course of 23 games Simon is the top scorer for the Titans with his 14.9 ppg, while Xavier Keeling (12.5 ppg), Eli Holman (11.4 ppg) and Kennedy (11.3 ppg) completing the list of double-digit scorers thus far. Holman handles much of the action in the paint with his eight and a half rebounds per outing, adding 57 blocked shots along the way, but for someone who touches the ball as much as he does, Holman should have far more than just 16 assists at this juncture.

After missing all nine three-point tries and shooting only 32 percent from the field in the first half, the Crusaders put together a strong push in the second half before just coming up short against the Raiders earlier this week. Brandon Wood posted 18 points and nine rebounds, while fellow starters Brandon McPherson and Cory Johnson checked in with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Ryan Broekhoff made a statement off the bench with seven points and a team- high 13 rebounds. One of the top scorers in the Horizon League at this point in the campaign, Wood is pouring in 18.6 ppg while shooting just under 40 percent behind the three-point line. Johnson posts 15.7 ppg and McPherson 11.5 ppg as both players also shoot the ball well out on the perimeter. Averaging almost eight three-pointers per game, the Crusaders have made good on 38.3 percent of their long-distance chances.

Putting so much emphasis on perimeter shooting is bound to bite the Crusaders and today is as good a time as any.