1978–79 Detroit Titans men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1978–79 Detroit Titans Basketball Detroit Titans wordmark.png 125 Independent 22–6 Smokey Gaines 2nd Calihan Hall NCAA tournament The 1978–79 Detroit Titans men's basketball team represented the University of Detroit in the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team played at Calihan Hall in Detroit. The Titans were led by second-year head coach Smokey Gaines, a former assistant coach for Dick Vitale, who stepped down prior to the season as Athletic Director for the university to take the head coaching position for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. After missing out on an NCAA bid the previous season, and the losses of guard John Long and forward Terry Tyler, Detroit was led by returning guards Terry Duerod and Wilbert McCormick and Detroit native and Robert Morris transfer Earl Cureton. Detroit struggled out of the gate with 6-3 record, but two late season wins over ranked opponents elevate the season, with wins over #9 Georgetown, 91-71, and #9 Marquette, 64-63, as Terry Duerod hit a jumper with two second left to secure the win.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-detoit-vs-georgetown/185702824/ Detoit vs. Georgetown, February 1979 (1) February 4, 1979 6 newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-detroit-vs-georgetow/185703069/ Detroit vs. Georgetown, February 1979 (2) February 4, 1979 48 newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-detroit-vs-marquette/185703271/ Detroit vs. Marquette, 1979 February 7, 1979 48 newspapers.com The Titans received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, seeded 7th. Detroit fell to No. 10 seed Lamar in the opening round, 95-87, as Cardinal Clarence Kea scored 33 points with 19 rebounds to lead Lamar.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-detrot-vs-lamar-mar/185704247/ Detrot vs. Lamar, March 1979 March 10, 1979 25 newspapers.com Detroit finished the season with a 22–6 record. On the season, Duerod led the team with 23.3 ppg, Cureton added 11.7 ppg and 9 rpg, freshman Jerry Davis added 11.6 ppg, and McCormick contributed 11.4 ppg and 6.6 apg.https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/detroit-mercy/men/1979.html 1978-79 Detroit Mercy Titans Men's Roster and Stats College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com After the season, Gaines would be hired to coach San Diego State and Duerod would be drafted in the 3rd round by the Detroit Pistons in 1979 NBA draft.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-gaines-hired-at-sdsu/185704619/ Gaines Hired at SDSU, April 1979 April 3, 1979 65 newspapers.com Duerod was inducted in the University of Detroit Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993 alongside former coach Dick Vitale. Earl Cureton was honored in 2007.https://detroittitans.com/honors/detroit-mercy-titans-hall-of-fame Detroit Mercy Titans Hall of Fame University of Detroit Mercy Athleticshttps://detroittitans.com/honors/detroit-mercy-titans-hall-of-fame/earl-cureton/69 Roster 1978 Detroit Titans y Earl Cureton F 6 9 205 Jr Detroit, Michigan y Terry Duerod G 6 1 175 Sr Royal Oak, Michigan y Jeff Whitlow F 6 6 Sr Wilbert McCormick G 6 0 Jr Dave Niles G 6 5 Jr Joe Kopicki F 6 9 230 Fr Warren, Michigan y Jerry Davis G 6 5 FR Keith Jackson C 6 9 SR Garey Fields G 6 6 JR Rich McDermott G 6 2 SR Mario Benson G 6 2 Fr Arthur Bright G 6 5 SO Smokey Gaines (LeMoyne–Owen College) https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/detroit-mercy/men/1979.html Schedule and results |- !colspan=9 style=Detroit Titans| Regular Season Nov 25, 1978 yes Toledo Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 67–64 1–0 Dec 4, 1978 yes yes North Carolina 14 Carmichael Auditorium Chapel Hill, North Carolina 76–93 1–1 Dec 7, 1978 yes yes 1978 men Oregon Ducks Oregon McArthur Court Eugene, Oregon 75–74 2–1 Dec 16, 1978 yes yes 1978 men Ball State Cardinals Ball State Irving Gymnasium Muncie, Indiana 81–82 2–2 Dec 19, 1978 yes 1978 men Marshall Thundering Herd Marshall Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 92–61 3–2 Dec 21, 1978 yes yes Iona John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center New Rochelle, New York 76–72 4–2 Dec 23, 1978 yes 1978 men Central Michigan Chippewas Central Michigan Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 79–72 5–2 Dec 28, 1978 yes 1978 men New Hampshire Wildcats New Hampshire Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 108–70 6–2 Dec 29, 1978 yes 1978 men Rhode Island Rams Rhode Island Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 67–69 6–3 Jan 4, 1979 yes yes 1978 men LIU Blackbirds Long Island University Schwartz Athletic Center Brooklyn, New York 84–63 7–3 Jan 6, 1979 yes yes 1978 men Rhode Island Rams Rhode Island Providence Civic Center Kingston, Rhode Island 77–76 8–3 Jan 10, 1979 yes 1978 men Loyola Ramblers Loyola (IL) Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 83–74 9–3 Jan 13, 1979 yes Illinois State Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 92–81 10–3 Jan 15, 1979 yes 1978 men Western Michigan Broncos Western Michigan Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 92–77 11–3 Jan 18, 1979 yes yes 1978 men East Carolina Pirates East Carolina Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Greenville, North Carolina 81–69 12–3 Jan 24, 1979 yes 1978 men Xavier Musketeers Xavier Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 70–74 12–4 Jan 31, 1979 yes yes 1978 men Eastern Michigan Hurons Eastern Michigan Bowen Field House Ypsilanti, Michigan 80–75 13–4 Feb 3, 1979 yes Georgetown 9 Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 91–71Detroit Shocks Hoyas, 91-71 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1979/02/04/detroit-shocks-hoyas-91-71/0b85c44e-f0b3-4de6-97e1-fe12d18c5fae/ The Washington Post February 4, 1979 February 20, 2023 14–4 Feb 6, 1979 yes yes Marquette 9 MECCA Arena Milwaukee, Wisconsin 64–63U-D stuns Marquette https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/205802090/ The Battle Creek Enquirer February 7, 1979 February 20, 2023 newspapers.com 15–4 Feb 14, 1979 yes 1978 men St. Bonaventure Bonnies St. Bonaventure Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 106–101 16–4 Feb 17, 1979 yes 1978 men Colgate Raiders Colgate Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 86–66 17–4 Feb 22, 1979 yes yes 1978 men Duquesne Dukes Duquesne Civic Arena Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 84–93 17–5 Feb 24, 1979 yes yes 1978 men Loyola Ramblers Loyola (IL) Alumni Gym Chicago, Illinois 72–69 18–5 Feb 28, 1979 yes 1978 men Xavier Musketeers Xavier Calihan Hall Detroit, Michigan 88–69 22–5 |- !colspan=9 style=Detroit Titans| NCAA Tournament Mar 9, 1979 yes yes 7 ME Lamar 10 ME Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee First round 87–95 22–6 AP Poll ME Mideast Rankings 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 856–857 2009 978-0-345-51392-2 References Category:Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball seasons Detroit Detroit Detroit Titans men's b Detroit Titans men's b