# Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball

The Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball team is the college basketball team that represents University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit, Michigan, and competes in NCAA Division I men's basketball as a member of the Horizon League. Traditionally, the Titans have been a fair "mid-major" program, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in 1977 and to the Round of 32 in 1998 and 1999. The Titans have appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times, most recently in 2012. The Titans are currently coached by Mark Montgomery, who was hired on April 3, 2024. The Titans play their home games at Calihan Hall on the school's McNichols Campus.

## Season by season records

* NOTE: The Titans did not field a basketball team in 1907–08 and 1908–09.
| Season | Team | Overall record | Pct. | Conf. record | Postseason |
| Independent ||||||
| 1905–06 | Detroit | 3–1 | .750 | | |
| 1906–07 | Detroit | 1–3 | .250 | | |
| 1909–10 | Detroit | 2–3 | .400 | | |
| 1910–11 | Detroit | 6–0 | 1.000 | | |
| 1911–12 | Detroit | 6–5 | .545 | | |
| 1912–13 | Detroit | 13–0 | 1.000 | | |
| 1913–14 | Detroit | 6–3 | .667 | | |
| 1914–15 | Detroit | 3–5 | .375 | | |
| 1915–16 | Detroit | 7–3 | .700 | | |
| 1916–17 | Detroit | 5–4 | .556 | | |
| 1917–18 | Detroit | 13–5 | .722 | | |
| 1918–19 | Detroit | 4–5 | .444 | | |
| 1919–20 | Detroit | 12–7 | .632 | | |
| 1920–21 | Detroit | 10–8 | .556 | | |
| 1921–22 | Detroit | 2–13 | .133 | | |
| 1922–23 | Detroit | 9–7 | .563 | | |
| 1923–24 | Detroit | 9–8 | .529 | | |
| 1924–25 | Detroit | 6–6 | .500 | | |
| 1925–26 | Detroit | 13–6 | .684 | | |
| 1926–27 | Detroit | 8–9 | .471 | | |
| 1927–28 | Detroit | 11–4 | .733 | | |
| 1928–29 | Detroit | 4–11 | .267 | | |
| 1929–30 | Detroit | 10–9 | .526 | | |
| 1930–31 | Detroit | 10–9 | .526 | | |
| 1931–32 | Detroit | 8–8 | .500 | | |
| 1932–33 | Detroit | 12–5 | .706 | | |
| 1933–34 | Detroit | 7–8 | .467 | | |
| 1934–35 | Detroit | 4–10 | .286 | | |
| 1935–36 | Detroit | 12–5 | .706 | | |
| 1936–37 | Detroit | 11–5 | .688 | | |
| 1937–38 | Detroit | 16–4 | .800 | | |
| 1938–39 | Detroit | 15–5 | .750 | | |
| 1939–40 | Detroit | 14–9 | .609 | | |
| 1940–41 | Detroit | 11–10 | .524 | | |
| 1941–42 | Detroit | 13–8 | .619 | | |
| 1942–43 | Detroit | 15–5 | .750 | | |
| 1943–44 | Detroit | 13–7 | .650 | | |
| 1944–45 | Detroit | 8–12 | .400 | | |
| 1945–46 | Detroit | 15–8 | .652 | | |
| 1946–47 | Detroit | 12–13 | .480 | | |
| 1947–48 | Detroit | 7–15 | .318 | | |
| 1948–49 | Detroit | 12–10 | .545 | | |
| Missouri Valley Conference ||||||
| 1949–50 | Detroit | 20–6 | .769 | 7–5 | |
| 1950–51 | Detroit | 17–14 | .548 | 7–7 | |
| 1951–52 | Detroit | 14–12 | .538 | 4–6 | |
| 1952–53 | Detroit | 12–14 | .462 | 4–6 | |
| 1953–54 | Detroit | 11–17 | .393 | 1–9 | |
| 1954–55 | Detroit | 15–11 | .577 | 2–8 | |
| 1955–56 | Detroit | 13–12 | .520 | 3–9 | |
| 1956–57 | Detroit | 11–15 | .423 | 5–9 | |
| Independent ||||||
| 1957–58 | Detroit | 13–12 | .520 | | |
| 1958–59 | Detroit | 11–14 | .440 | | |
| 1959–60 | Detroit | 20–7 | .741 | | NIT 1st Round |
| 1960–61 | Detroit | 18–9 | .667 | | NIT 1st Round |
| 1961–62 | Detroit | 15–12 | .556 | | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1962–63 | Detroit | 14–12 | .538 | | |
| 1963–64 | Detroit | 14–11 | .560 | | |
| 1964–65 | Detroit | 20–8 | .714 | | NIT Quarterfinals |
| 1965–66 | Detroit | 17–8 | .680 | | |
| 1966–67 | Detroit | 10–15 | .400 | | |
| 1967–68 | Detroit | 13–12 | .520 | | |
| 1968–69 | Detroit | 16–10 | .615 | | |
| 1969–70 | Detroit | 7–18 | .280 | | |
| 1970–71 | Detroit | 14–12 | .538 | | |
| 1971–72 | Detroit | 18–6 | .750 | | |
| 1972–73 | Detroit | 16–9 | .640 | | |
| 1973–74 | Detroit | 17–9 | .654 | | |
| 1974–75 | Detroit | 17–9 | .654 | | |
| 1975–76 | Detroit | 19–8 | .704 | | |
| 1976–77 | Detroit | 26–3 | .897 | | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1977–78 | Detroit | 25–4 | .862 | | NIT Quarterfinals |
| 1978–79 | Detroit | 22–6 | .786 | | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1979–80 | Detroit | 14–13 | .519 | | |
| Midwestern City Conference ||||||
| 1980–81 | Detroit | 9–18 | .333 | 1–5 | |
| 1981–82 | Detroit | 10–17 | .370 | 6–6 | |
| 1982–83 | Detroit | 12–17 | .414 | 6–8 | |
| 1983–84 | Detroit | 8–20 | .286 | 4–10 | |
| Midwestern Collegiate Conference ||||||
| 1984–85 | Detroit | 16–12 | .571 | 8–6 | |
| 1985–86 | Detroit | 14–15 | .483 | 7–5 | |
| 1986–87 | Detroit | 7–21 | .250 | 2–10 | |
| 1987–88 | Detroit | 7–23 | .233 | 2–8 | |
| 1988–89 | Detroit | 7–21 | .250 | 4–8 | |
| 1989–90 | Detroit | 10–18 | .357 | 3–11 | |
| 1990–91 | Detroit | 9–19 | .321 | 2–12 | |
| 1991–92 | Detroit | 12–17 | .414 | 1–9 | |
| 1992–93 | Detroit | 15–12 | .556 | 7–7 | |
| 1993–94 | Detroit | 16–13 | .552 | 5–5 | |
| 1994–95 | Detroit | 13–15 | .464 | 9–5 | |
| 1995–96 | Detroit | 18–11 | .621 | 8–8 | |
| 1996–97 | Detroit | 16–13 | .552 | 11–5 | |
| 1997–98 | Detroit | 25–6 | .802 | 12–2 | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 1998–99 | Detroit | 25–6 | .802 | 12–2 | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 1999–2000 | Detroit | 20–12 | .625 | 8–6 | |
| 2000–01 | Detroit | 25–12 | .676 | 10–4 | NIT 4th place |
| Horizon League ||||||
| 2001–02 | Detroit | 18–13 | .581 | 11–5 | NIT Opening Round |
| 2002–03 | Detroit | 18–12 | .600 | 9–7 | |
| 2003–04 | Detroit | 19–11 | .633 | 10–6 | |
| 2004–05 | Detroit | 14–16 | .467 | 9–7 | |
| 2005–06 | Detroit | 16–16 | .500 | 8–8 | |
| 2006–07 | Detroit | 11–19 | .367 | 6–10 | |
| 2007–08 | Detroit | 7–23 | .233 | 3–15 | |
| 2008–09 | Detroit | 7–23 | .233 | 2–16 | |
| 2009–10 | Detroit | 20–14 | .588 | 9–9 | |
| 2010–11 | Detroit | 17–16 | .515 | 10–8 | |
| 2011–12 | Detroit | 22–13 | .629 | 11–7 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2012–13 | Detroit | 20–13 | .606 | 12–4 | NIT 1st Round |
| 2013–14 | Detroit | 13–19 | .406 | 6–10 | |
| 2014–15 | Detroit | 15–18 | .455 | 7–9 | |
| 2015–16 | Detroit | 16–15 | .516 | 9–9 | |
| 2016–17 | Detroit | 8–23 | .258 | 5–12 | |
| 2017–18 | Detroit | 8–24 | .250 | 4–14 | |
| 2018–19 | Detroit | 11–20 | .355 | 8–10 | |
| 2019–20 | Detroit | 8–23 | .258 | 6–12 | |
| 2020–21 | Detroit | 12–10 | .545 | 10–6 | |
| 2021–22 | Detroit | 14–16 | .467 | 10–7 | TBC 1st Round |
| 2022–23 | Detroit | 14–19 | .424 | 9–11 | |
| 2023–24 | Detroit | 1–31 | .031 | 1–19 | |
| Totals | Totals | 1,440–1,247 | .536 | | |

## Postseason
### NCAA tournament results

The Titans have appeared in six NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 3–6.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1962 | – | First Round | Western Kentucky | L 90–81 |
| 1977 | – | First Round Sweet Sixteen | Middle Tennessee State Michigan | W 93–76 L 86–81 |
| 1979 | #7 | First Round | #10 Lamar | L 95–87 |
| 1998 | #10 | First Round Second Round | #7 St. John's #2 Purdue | W 66–64 L 80–65 |
| 1999 | #12 | First Round Second Round | #5 UCLA #4 Ohio State | W 56–53 L 75–44 |
| 2012 | #15 | First Round | #2 Kansas | L 65–50 |

### NIT Results

The Titans have appeared in seven National Invitation Tournaments. Their combined record is 5–8.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1960 | First Round | Villanova | L 88–86 |
| 1961 | First Round | Holy Cross | L 86–82 |
| 1965 | First Round Quarterfinals | La Salle NYU | W 93–86 L 87–76 |
| 1978 | First Round Quarterfinals | VCU North Carolina State | W 94–86 L 84–77 |
| 2001 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals 3rd Place Game | Bradley Connecticut Dayton Alabama Memphis | W 68–49 W 67–61 W 59–42 L 74–63 L 86–71 |
| 2002 | Opening Round | Dayton | L 80–69 |
| 2013 | First Round | Arizona State | L 83–68 |

### The Basketball Classic results

The Titans have appeared in The Basketball Classic one time. Their record is 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2022 | First Round | Florida Gulf Coast | L 79–95 |

## Players
### Retired numbers

Detroit Mercy has retired 11 jerseys in program history.
Detroit Mercy Titans retired jerseys :
| No. | Player | Career |
| 0 | Antoine Davis | 2018–2023 |
| 3 | Rashad Phillips | 1997–2001 |
| 17 | Bob Calihan | 1937–1940 |
| 22 | Dave DeBusschere | 1959–1962 |
| 24 | Earl Cureton | 1978–1980 |
| 32 | Eli Holman | 2009–2012 |
| 34 | Willie Green | 1999–2003 |
| 42 | Terry Duerod | 1975–1979 |
| 44 | Terry Tyler | 1974–1978 |
| 45 | Spencer Haywood | 1968–1969 |
| 50 | John Long | 1974–1978 |

### Titans in the NBA

23 Detroit alumni have gone on to play in the NBA. They include:
* Paris Bass
* Dennis Boyd
* Earl Cureton
* Dave DeBusschere
* Terry Duerod
* Bill Ebben
* Desmond Ferguson
* Willie Green
* Spencer Haywood
* Jermaine Jackson
* Lee Knorek
* Joe Kopicki
* John Long
* Ray McCallum, Jr.
* Dorie Murrey
* Gino Sovran
* Guy Sparrow
* Art Stolkey
* Norm Swanson
* Terry Tyler
* Owen Wells
* Frank Russell
* Terry Thomas
In the late seventies, Coach Dick Vitale led the Titans to two NCAA tournament appearances before heading the Detroit Pistons and later embarking on a broadcasting career that would put him in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Alumni who played in the NBA G League:
* Rashad Phillips
* Marc Mazur