• Season 9 SuperTicker presented by BLAPP
SEASON 7

Recent Game Recaps

Epilogue, The Ninth: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Memories

So We Meet Again

Rte. 139 - End of the Line

Hanging On

A Championship in Pictures

This Time of Year

Dotson Leads Ducks to the Sweet Sixteen

Grizzlies Overwhelmed by Orangemen

Empire

Game 7-034: Detroit at Illinois-Chicago
January 8, 2011 5:42 pm ET by Kyle Whelliston

Detroit Titans at Illinois-Chicago Flames

January 8, 2011 2:00 pm
UIC Pavillion
BBState Stats/Recap



The five-game, four-day, three-city Horizon League tour continued with a Chicagoland doubleheader. First up, it was a trip to the Near West to see Detroit go up against UIC.



At UIC Pavilion, you can get a picture with Illini-killer Robo Kreps. He is not a Robot, and in fact his real name is Bob. Total disappointment.

The most exciting moment of this game was a punch delivered by Detroit's Eli Holman directly upon the sensitive man-area of UIC's Brad Birton during the first half of play. Both were ejected for flagrant fouls, although the decision seemed to be some sort of Solomonic wisdom on the part of the game officials. Holman, a fantastic rebounder and a former Big Ten matriculator at Indiana, had found happiness at UDM after a turbulent early career, but he let Mr. Angry Fist out again today.



It brought to mind another famous mid-major tea party, five years ago, when Tony Skinn of George Mason popped Hofstra's Loren Stokes in the pants at the 2006 CAA tourney. Hofstra won that game, but Mason ended up getting an at-large NCAA bid, Skinn's suspension was served during the first round at Dayton, and went all the way to the Final Four. Injury to insult.

We here at The Mid-Majority have been punched in the nuts before (especially in grade school), and do not condone or endorse any such or related activity. Groin gouges give mid-major basketball a bad name, and every BallBuster reflects badly on all of us, each of us.

But some on press row felt otherwise. "We need more nut-punches at this level," said one anonymous mid-level source. "Seriously, I really think Detroit's going all the way to the Final Four now. It's karma."



So let the debate rage. The biggest thing was that all the time that was spent figuring out how to call it (10+ minutes) made us late for the second game of the doubleheader. So we rushed right out the door after Ray McCallum's late putback off a missed free throw put the Titans up by three at 2.7 seconds left, and just as UIC's set play failed.



But Bally got another free blanket out of it! It's really a rally towel, but I'm going to use it to protect my ball.

@midmajority Game Tweets


13:47 Game 7-034: Detroit at UIC. Here in the city where someone named "Mr. Cub" said, "Let's Play Two" because he liked dublheaders so much, two.
13:49 "Let's play two" has devolved into one of the dumbest sports cliches ever, and is invoked any time two games are contested on the same day.
13:58 Never. Even tough I'd like to, as a conscientious Cub-jector. RT @grogg: @midmajority you can't blame Ernie for other's stupidity, though.
13:58 RT @gmoore21566: @midmajority Whenever that is said,can we get Ernie Banks to hit that person with a Louisville Slugger.Only he should be allowed 2 say that.
14:01 UIC Pavilion, site of the first annual #ALLCAPSGAME. They won't take that designation away, ever. http://img.ly/2LZ2
14:02 Not today. Disappointed! RT @mwmiller20: @midmajority Are they still doing the "Lighting of the Flame" pregame ceremony at UIC?
14:03 RT @billpotter_hl: Quite the collection of writers at UIC today: @midmajority, @uicflamesdotcom, @chicolbball, @sryantribune, @HLNAdam & @espnchipreps.
14:03 Robo. http://img.ly/2LZ4
14:05 STEEL and TECHNOLOGY. RT @suss2hyphens: SCOUTING REPORT: A two-dimensional player. RT @midmajority: Robo. http://img.ly/2LZ4
14:06 Tip. http://img.ly/2LZ9
14:07 RT @adamamin: @midmajority who do you think as the advantage between the Big Ten transfers? UIC (Carter) or Detroit (Holman)? Both can #omgdunx...
14:08 Have not seen Carter in non-Gopher person yet. Holman is on the board first; Detroit up 2-0.
14:10 This is a Horizon League game. UDM is 9-7 (3-1) after win v Loyola the other night. UIC 5-11 (0-4) despite beating Illinois. #youareinformed
14:11 #pixelvision will do! http://www.midmajority.com/pxl/94751 RT @JTMBasketball: @midmajority Wish I could see that one on TV!
14:13 Tigers 4, White Sox 3, second inning. This is the 3rd of 5 stops on our Horizon League tour this weekend.
14:15 Very elaborate bouncy-race at MTO1. http://img.ly/2LZf
14:17 Promising-looking Wildcats open 1-3 in the Soke. RT @midmajority360: Davidson 73 Western Carolina 81 | http://tmm7.me/894 #SOCON
14:19 Correction: I did see Paul Carter drop 14 on Toledo earlier, which underscores how boring that game was.
14:20 Here in 2011, it's 10-8 UIC at 12:48 1H after a Brad Birton jumper.
14:21 Govs 5-0, now at clear forefront of OVC conversation. RT @midmajority360: Austin Peay 66 Murray State 64 | http://tmm7.me/895 #OVC
14:24 Murray State had not lost at home since 2/21/09 BracketBuster against Louisiana Tech. #OVC
14:26 A Kreps #superhoop, UIC up 14-8. Robert "Robo" Kreps is not a man, or machine, he's just something in between! Loving every minute of it!!
14:28 After the Holman opening hoop, Carter has scored 10 to take the clear lead in the ex-Big Ten Leader/Legend showdown. 20-10 UIC, 8:50 1H.
14:29 Correction: that Kreps basket was not a #superhoop, it was just past the women's line. He's all man, ask his mom!
14:32 Unlike Loyola, UIC is sealing the perimeter and forcing turnovers vs. Detroit. Seems like every HL team has a Greek tragic flaw. Intrigue!
14:34 And when they get inside: Minnerath just got #powerstuffd by 6-11 Maine Monster K.C. Robbins. UIC 22-15 6:34 1H.
14:35 Paul Carter another soft outside jumper, and now he's got 12. "O dood Minnesota cud uz him now" #analysis
14:39 While they sort out this nutpunch, there's a great early Patriot League game on: Lehigh-American. Look for it on your internet.
14:43 Breaks make me nervous today, since we have to go up Lake Shore in order to make Wright-Loyola count as 35. C'mon, check his cup for a dent.
14:44 As "Kung Fu Fighting" plays, a dubl ejection. Eli Holman (UDM) and Brad Birton (UIC). We resume.
14:45 I want to be known as "King Happypants." RT @JTMBasketball: @midmajority They do not want to be known as Illinois-Chicago....strictly UIC
14:47 I just raised my arms in victory. RT @BigJoeRambler: @midmajority there's a women's game before the Loyola men's game, it will start late.
14:50 Kreps 2/2 FT, 28-17 UIC at 3:20 1H. My father's middle name is Robert. OMG am I half Robot? #domoarigato
14:52 Forgot to note: everyone got towels. Brad Birton could have used some extra padding! http://img.ly/2LZF
14:56 Detroit pulls within 4: 28-24, but KC Robbins with an #omgdunx to put UIC back up six at 1:06 1H.
14:58 Side note: we reserve all rights to unfollow/de-buddy/mock any sportzwriters/bloggers with Compelling Takes on Gabrielle Giffords.
14:58 RT @NovaYankee: @midmajority Lehigh hits a jumper at the buzzer to go up by three over AU at the half. Very entertaining game we have here. Great atmosphere
14:59 And we're at HT after 63 long minutes of first half action. It's like overtime at the beginning. UIC is up on Detroit 32-25, Carter with 12.
15:01 Also, there is indeed #pixelvision for the Lehigh-American PL showdown. http://www.midmajority.com/pxl/93190 Halftime there too.
15:06 Do Not Disturb: the fans at UIC Pavilion are currently getting #served. http://img.ly/2LZS
15:06 Ping! Pong! POWER! RT @NovaYankee: Beat this for halftime entertainment. http://twitpic.com/3o7t18 (@midmajority)
15:13 Bally got a towel. http://img.ly/2M01
15:14 Towel and Cheerleading Day at UIC. Some preteen dance teams performed to radio rap songs about strippers at HT b/c that's appropriate.
15:16 Parallels between Tony Skinn and Eli Holman. "We need more nut punches... Detroit's going all the way to the F4." - mid-level anon source
15:19 And we're back! 2H here between UIC and Detroit. If I'm late to the second game because of a nut punch, I'm going to... oh, I just couldn't.
15:20 "You know those *mid-major* people, always going around punching bros in the crotch..." #iknowwegotabadreputation #anditisntjusttalktalktalk
15:22 Kreps with an electronic layup, and it's 36-32 at the 16:03 mark of 2H. UIC running themselves into a lot of bad, dumb possessions though.
15:23 The number of travel calls on UIC has been pretty staggering, and they've been bailed out on a few others by ticky-tac touch foul calls.
15:25 I know nobody was alive back then, but "Hungry Like the Wolf" really works as a Yell-For-The-Pizza MTO song.
15:28 Detroit finally pulls into the lead. LaMarcus Lowe 1/2 FT, and the Titans are up 39-37. 14:23 2H.
15:30 But what's this! UIC's collective mouth is alive, with juices like wine! Paris-not-Paul Carter layup plus one, and it's 42-41 Flames.
15:32 The pride of Falmouth, Maine, 6-11 UIC center K.C. Robbins, having a fine game to match his fine belly-mountain. 11 pts, 10 rebs.
15:34 RT @PatriotLeague: MBB: Top two scorers in the Patriot League are shooting it out. AU leads Lehigh 52-51, and Vlad Moldoveanu and C.J. McCollum each have 24.
15:34 Anybody at the Loyola women's game who wants to tweet updates at us, we're as interested in that as just about anything right now.
15:36 Robbins a mini-hook that looked like the state of Maine itself as it came off the palm. Hungry like the wolf!! 48-47 UDM at the end of 3Q.
15:38 Sparky the Dragon getting a lot of use out of the chef hat/apron costume today. For a grocery-themed MTO contest? Why not?
15:40 Ray McCallum, who's had a bit of a quiet afternoon, a flying layup in transition, plus one. 10 now for Detroit's frosshhhh phenom. 54-48 UDM
15:41 Detroit up by six with 9:20 to go, but the fact that their next foul will be a dubl-bonus sitch for UIC: relevant!
15:44 He eats better than you. RT @billyedelin correction, i am from falmouth, and KC Robbins is not the pride, nor does anyone even care for him.
15:46 Never understood this. Why does only one person have to be the pride of somewhere? Humans are so Occam's Razor-y. #robo
15:46 RT @adamamin: @midmajority UIC hoping their zone stays strong and Detroit goes cold from outside. #OMGchessmatch
15:49 Apparently the #pixelvision feed of Old Dominion-George Mason is fixed and you should go watch it now. Last few minutes, super-close.
15:50 Detroit building a small buffer, 58-50 with seven to go. But there's Robo with a power layup! ROBO SMASH!
15:50 RT @NovaYankee: #omgdunx, #superhoopz and bloggers fighting from press row! This game has it all. @hooptime @auhoops @midmajority
15:55 Not naming names, but if you're using your seat on press row to relentlessly piss on the product, maybe it's time to move on.
15:57 Detroit up 64-59, 3:12 2H, withstanding the dubl-bonus situation for now. Nothing personal, but we're out the door the second this is over.
15:59 UIC plays the "Lazzz Do It" from Tone Loc's "Wild Thing" before selected free throws. Would that pump you up?
16:00 Up three, UDM runs into a 35 second violation... two minutes left, and it's 64-61 Titans. #cling!
16:01 RT @bubbaprog: @midmajority FINAL: ODU 69 George Mason 65
16:01 It's the future!!! #robo RT @adamamin: AH! @midmajority sighting / iPad glory all over Comcast in Chicago.
16:03 #itsreallyfunkycoldmedina #admitit RT @PTNetherton: @midmajority That's my hype music before a broadcast!! #notthetruth
16:05 A minute left, and UDM is up five after a Kreps-to-Robbins layunk. And a steal/runback by Singh makes it a 3-point game! Escape: not easy!
16:06 Sparky the Dragon in a Hawaiian outfit menacing the Detroit bench with "Go" "Flames" signs. That may be the difference in this game.
16:07 RT @midmajority360: Lehigh 75 American 82 | http://tmm7.me/89s #PATRIOT
16:08 Paul Carter (15 pts, largely invisible in 2H) with a jumper that pulls UIC to within one at :22.7 2H. Loyola-Wright tips.
16:09 RT @billpotter_hl: @midmajority I believe that's the "Blue Hawaii" Sparky.
16:12 :12.9, UDM up three, UIC ball, time out Flames.
16:13 Carter bucket, UIC fouls, 2 UDM FT misses but McCallum tips it back! 72-69 Titans, 1.7 left.
16:14 RT @JohnEzekowitz: @midmajority Have seen Detroit 3 times now on #pixelvision and I like their poise. As I say that, they make a big mistake haha.
16:20 And that's your final. Intermission..,


Boxscore


DETROIT 72, at ILLINOIS-CHICAGO 69
01/08/2011

DETROIT 10-7 (4-1) -- H. Mingo 2-8 1-2 6; J. Calliste 5-9 2-5 16; N. Minnerath 3-8 0-0 6; R. McCallum 6-11 3-3 17; L. Lowe 3-5 5-9 11; C. Blake 2-5 2-2 7; D. Foster 4-7 0-0 9; C. Simon 1-6 0-2 2; E. Holman 2-5 0-0 4; E. Bruinsma 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-57 12-21 72.
ILLINOIS-CHICAGO 5-12 (0-5) -- P. Carter 1-6 0-1 2; P. Carter 8-17 3-5 19; R. Kreps 6-9 3-4 15; K. Robbins 7-13 3-4 17; Z. Neely 2-6 3-3 8; D. Singh 2-7 0-0 4; B. Birton 1-3 2-2 4; E. Denard 0-0 0-0 0; C. Gray 0-0 0-0 0; A. Kelley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-61 14-19 69.

Three-point goals: UDM 8-19 (C. Blake 1-2; C. Simon 0-1; D. Foster 1-1; J. Calliste 4-8; E. Bruinsma 0-1; R. McCallum 2-5; N. Minnerath 0-1), UIC 1-8 (P. Carter 0-3; Z. Neely 1-2; R. Kreps 0-1; D. Singh 0-2); Rebounds: UDM 27 (L. Lowe 5), UIC 35 (K. Robbins 12); Assists: UDM 16 (D. Foster 4), UIC 13 (D. Singh 4); Total Fouls -- UDM 20, UIC 18; Fouled Out: UDM-None; UIC-Z. Neely.