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Post by udshawn on Feb 1, 2024 9:20:54 GMT -5
Detroit — At historic Calihan Hall, the banners in the rafters are plentiful. The Detroit Mercy men's basketball program has 11 retired numbers high above the court, and the signature of the legendary Dick Vitale, former coach-turned-ESPN star, on the court. The historic scoring numbers put up by Antoine Davis, the NCAA's second-leading scorer, still remain on display. The history of the program is pretty rich, with more Division I NCAA Tournament appearances, six, than any of the state's four other mid-major programs. These days, though, there's another number that stands out above all the rest. That number is zero. As in, the number of wins Detroit Mercy has this season, as the calendar turns to February. The Titans are an unthinkable 0-22 entering its next games, at home against Cleveland State on Thursday and against Robert Morris on Saturday. There are just nine regular-season games left, and at least one Horizon League tournament game, for Detroit Mercy to avoid college basketball infamy that's rarely been seen. While the NCAA doesn't keep official records on winless men's basketball teams in Division I, there's been just one in the last two decades, Grambling State, which went 0-28 in 2012-13. NJIT went 0-29 in 2007-08, but that was during that program's transition from Division II to Division I, so that's not technically counted. Chicago State finished 0-9 during the 2020-21 season before shutting down due to COVID, so that's not counted, either. The NCAA does keep a list of the most losses in a winless season, and that record is 29, shared by Prairie View (1991-92), Savannah State (2004-05) and Grambling State. Without a win, Detroit Mercy would own that, at 0-32. "S---storm," is how Mike Davis Jr., an assistant coach and the head coach's son, described what's transpired this season, in which Detroit Mercy has been sacked with a number of key injuries, academic-eligibility issues, multiple players quitting, a pivotal passport problem, and the all-too-often lack of participation at practice. Practices sometimes are three-on-three, and when there are enough players for five-on-five, there's often only one sub available, if there's even one. The easy excuse for the horrific season is to point out the loss of Antoine Davis, who played five seasons at Detroit Mercy, and fell just three points shy of "Pistol" Pete Maravich's all-time scoring record. He was routinely double- and triple-teamed, assuring if he didn't get a shot, somebody else always was open. Davis also set an example as a leader and a hard worker, and his teammates followed suit. The Titans were always a threat in Horizon League play with Antoine Davis, and twice had a winning league record. Still, Detroit Mercy coaches and players believed they had more than enough talent to compete this season. But there's been a disconnect, mostly in the drive. Before the season, head coach Mike Davis, in his sixth season, went around the room and asked each player how many points they should average. Not one player said less than 13. Yet, only one player is regularly in the gym, shooting after practice ends. That's Marcus Tankersley, a sophomore guard who's emerged as a leader, if by default. "Our biggest problem is not everyone bought into Coach's system, because Coach's system, I wouldn't call it equal opportunity, but it's a system where he puts everybody at their strengths," Tankersley said after practice Tuesday, following his post-practice shooting session. "Sometimes, guys don't buy in, and they break it up and do their own thing. Sometimes it's a selfish mentality. "It's definitely tough," Tankersley said softly, when asked how he stays positive. "It's definitely tough." 'The record speaks for itself' Mike Davis has been around the block for a long time, coaching Indiana to a national-championship game, and leading Indiana, UAB and Texas Southern to nine NCAA Tournament appearances in 18 years before arriving at Detroit Mercy in 2018. He's done six seasons at each stop, and this is his sixth season with the Titans, and they haven't sniffed an NCAA Tournament appearance. While Mike Davis, 60, won't say this is the toughest season he's ever had, you get the sense it's the most frustrating, because while his work hasn't changed — and everyone you talk to says he's still engaged — his message isn't getting through. He said recently he knew in October this team could be in trouble. "I've seen what losing looks like," Davis said. "I know what losing looks like. "You can't say you're not disappointed, because the record speaks for itself. But I saw it coming. I can tell you that." Let's get this out of the way: Recruiting players to Detroit Mercy is very, very hard.
"The three questions we get," said Robert Vowels, the athletic director, "are, 'What am I gonna eat? Where am I gonna sleep?' And then with the NIL, 'How much are you gonna pay me?'"
On the last two, the answers are, an outdated dorm, and not a whole heck of a lot. Detroit Mercy's athletic department always is hurting for cash. There's a donor base that's engaged, but it's small, and it's older. Nobody's writing blank checks to upgrade the outdated athletic facilities and the outdated dorms. President Donald Taylor loves athletics, and has big aspirations, and he's been on the hunt for dollars since he started on the job in July 2022. But finding the dollars is near as hard as finding men's basketball wins this season. That's why Detroit Mercy has played so many road buy games since Davis has been here; because Detroit Mercy needs that check, regardless if the losses pile up. Detroit Mercy got in Antoine Davis a caliber of player it never would've landed had Mike Davis not taken the job. That was a boon for five years. That era is over. Still, Mike Davis, a coach since the late 1980s, has a large network of contacts, so he thought he had the recruits to compete this year. But Oton Jankovic, a forward from Tulane, quit. So did Donovann Toatley, a guard from Bethune-Cookman.
Forward Alex Tchikou came in as a two-time transfer, so he wasn't eligible until a federal court ruled in December to put a stay on the NCAA's rule that a two-time transfer had to sit out a year. Problem was, Tchikou was in France when he got the word, he had a passport problem, and now it's too late.
The team's best player, guard Jayden Stone, missed several games with an ankle injury. Freshman guard Ryan Hurst from North Farmington had a foot injury, and now wants to redshirt. Swingman Emmanuel Kuac has been rehabbing an Achilles injury, and he's been in and out of the lineup.
And that doesn't count all the issues that have led to missed practice time for others — one player missed multiple practices with a cold — and missed practice time leads to unpreparedness on game day, with the game plans and, more importantly, with conditioning.
For a game earlier this season at Ole Miss, the team had seven scholarship players available. Interestingly, that was one of the team's better games, a 70-69 loss. Detroit Mercy's season actually began with an exhibition loss to Division II Wayne State, and it's gone downhill from there, as if that even seemed possible.
Tankersley, second on the team averaging 14.9 points (to Stone's 19.6), said the buy-in issues have gotten better in recent weeks, and the results have been better, including a double-overtime loss at Robert Morris, and late-fade loss at Green Bay, which leads the Horizon League. But the script was all too familiar; decent early, then bad late. Conditioning matters. "I talk to everyone, I talk to the coaches, I talk to friends and family, their message is to stay positive. As a leader of this team, I try to give our guys encouragement as well," he said. "All we can really do is take it game by game. We don't get the games we lost back." Staying positive is all fine and dandy, when you're putting the effort in, Davis said. As for this group — which, of course, he recruited, and is responsible for — he had a different message. "Your head should be down when you haven't given the effort it takes to win," Davis said. "I can't be mad if my wife leaves me if I ain't working and I ain't paying no bills." Davis' future Detroit Mercy is one of two Division I men's teams still winless, along with Mississippi Valley State out of the SWAC, which is 0-21 with 10 regular-season games remaining. Mississippi Valley State likely will not qualify for the SWAC tournament, so 0-31 is the limit, behind the Titans' possible 0-32.
Davis, during an interview in his Calihan Hall office last week, said he still enjoys coaching, and working, and he has another year left on the seven-year contract he signed to take over for Bacari Alexander in 2018.
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Post by udshawn on Feb 1, 2024 9:23:42 GMT -5
Another season, though, is not a guarantee. Vowels praised Davis during an interview in his office Wednesday, and said he still sees the hard work of the coaching staff. He plans to sit down with Davis and Taylor at season's end. "I think this is Mike's best coaching year from the standpoint of he's having to teach. He's bringing out the board. He's talking to the kids, and me knowing him like I know him, he's probably put in the hardest work this year because of what's happened," said Vowels, who regularly attends practices and games. "He hasn't quit, either, and he won't quit. "We'll see how things go." Before the season, Vowels approached Davis about a contract extension, but Davis declined at the time, not sure what his future holds. He's really close with Antoine, who's starting to make hay in the NBA G League. Antoine went undrafted in 2023 and signed with the Portland Trail Blazers for the NBA Summer League, and now plays with the Rip City Remix, who visit the Motor City Cruise on Tuesday. Antoine recently passed the 60-day threshold for being on a G League roster, earning a $75,000 bonus. Vowels wonders if Mike wants to go watch Antoine's career play out. "We've always talked. We've always had a good relationship. We always appreciate each other," Vowels said of Davis. "I think he'll go down as one of the best hires that we've ever had. "Everything's good, except we just need to win some games." And, well, time's running out on that front. But there still are some believers, and some workers, starting with Tankersley, who acknowledged the record is an "embarrassment," even if others, including Vowels, declined to use that word — even as the department's media-relations staff has stopped emailing out postgame recaps to local media. (It still emails out game previews.) It's a media-relations staff, by the way, that will continue working basketball late this spring, when Detroit Mercy co-hosts the NCAA Tournament regional at Little Caesars Arena. Some of the country's best teams will gather, right down the road from the home of perhaps one of the worst teams ever. Or, maybe not. "Yes sir," Tankersley said when asked if Detroit Mercy will win a game this season. "We will."
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Post by titantarheel on Feb 1, 2024 9:56:21 GMT -5
Positives: We actually got some press, Davis opened up to local guys and we got some exposure. So freakin' long over due to try to generate interest, news, etc on the program.
Negatives: This entire article is an indictment of Davis and Vowels, and the depths that our flagship program has been allowed to fall. People aren't giving and money isn't free flowing because THERE IS NO VISION. THERE IS NO PASSION. People want to be a part and give to winners, where they feel good about being part of the action. Davis and Vowels have done the exact opposite during their reigns. If I had a pile of disposable money I'm not really sure I'd be chasing good money after bad.
Vowels wanted to extend Coach Davis over the summer? He should want to FIRE Coach Davis.
I'm pretty much done with the communication effort and skills of Davis Jr with a gem like this..."S---storm," is how Mike Davis Jr., an assistant coach and the head coach's son, described what's transpired this season.
Pres Taylor...this whole damn article should be the last straw and a final wake up on where we are at. Change, Change CHANGE!!! We need vision, we need excitement. This can be better and we aren't resigned to this as our fate as a mid major program.
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Post by rbj on Feb 1, 2024 10:11:55 GMT -5
I find it difficult to believe that Vowels wanted to extend Mike Davis...and that Davis turned it down.
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Post by JDetroitTitan on Feb 1, 2024 13:18:02 GMT -5
To me it appears the article was done to save face. Also who's job at the university to follow athletes eligibility? The whole Alex Tchikou problem with his passport/eligibility issue is one of the major problems in our program. No one is following these players when they sign to play with us. If someone wasn't sleeping at the wheel and was on top of it they could of got Alex eligibly from what I read. But I bet someone said "well how would I know about his passport being up". It is your job to know foreign players vesa. Same reason Stone had to sit out because of grades. If we had Stone for all of last season next to AD this team had a real shot at getting to HL final and winning it. The person in charge of this needs to be let go. If Vowels can't put a competent staff together than he needs to go.
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Post by motorcitysam on Feb 1, 2024 13:54:41 GMT -5
Another season, though, is not a guarantee. Vowels praised Davis during an interview in his office Wednesday, and said he still sees the hard work of the coaching staff. He plans to sit down with Davis and Taylor at season's end. "I think this is Mike's best coaching year from the standpoint of he's having to teach. He's bringing out the board. He's talking to the kids, and me knowing him like I know him, he's probably put in the hardest work this year because of what's happened," said Vowels, who regularly attends practices and games. "He hasn't quit, either, and he won't quit. "We'll see how things go." Before the season, Vowels approached Davis about a contract extension, but Davis declined at the time, not sure what his future holds. He's really close with Antoine, who's starting to make hay in the NBA G League. Antoine went undrafted in 2023 and signed with the Portland Trail Blazers for the NBA Summer League, and now plays with the Rip City Remix, who visit the Motor City Cruise on Tuesday. Antoine recently passed the 60-day threshold for being on a G League roster, earning a $75,000 bonus. Vowels wonders if Mike wants to go watch Antoine's career play out. "We've always talked. We've always had a good relationship. We always appreciate each other," Vowels said of Davis. "I think he'll go down as one of the best hires that we've ever had. "Everything's good, except we just need to win some games." And, well, time's running out on that front. But there still are some believers, and some workers, starting with Tankersley, who acknowledged the record is an "embarrassment," even if others, including Vowels, declined to use that word — even as the department's media-relations staff has stopped emailing out postgame recaps to local media. (It still emails out game previews.) It's a media-relations staff, by the way, that will continue working basketball late this spring, when Detroit Mercy co-hosts the NCAA Tournament regional at Little Caesars Arena. Some of the country's best teams will gather, right down the road from the home of perhaps one of the worst teams ever. Or, maybe not. "Yes sir," Tankersley said when asked if Detroit Mercy will win a game this season. "We will." Thanks for posting the content of the article. Interesting stuff. Nice to see Tank stepping up to become a leader. He appears to be a hard worker, and I don't think I have heard anyone on the staff say anything but positive things about him. If Davis isn't back, I don't think it will be because he wants to have more time to spend following Antoine's career. That might, however, be the public story that they go with.
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Post by fan on Feb 1, 2024 14:29:57 GMT -5
This whole thing is like a bad movie if you are a middle school coach, an HS coach, an AAU coach, a college coach, or a Pro coach you get fired before you reach 0-22. If you're the boss who hired that coach and thinks he's a good coach you get fired. What's with these people, If you want people to PAY to come to games, you win, if you want players to come and play for you, you win; If you can do what you were hired for, then get out of the business and let somebody else do it.
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Post by fan on Feb 1, 2024 14:30:47 GMT -5
This whole thing is like a bad movie if you are a middle school coach, an HS coach, an AAU coach, a college coach, or a Pro coach you get fired before you reach 0-22. If you're the boss who hired that coach and thinks he's a good coach you get fired. What's with these people, If you want people to PAY to come to games, you win, if you want players to come and play for you, you win; If you can do what you were hired for, then get out of the business and let somebody else do it.
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Post by uofdfan1983 on Feb 1, 2024 15:26:30 GMT -5
A bad movie that you're forced to watch twice, it looks like!
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Post by titansforever on Feb 1, 2024 16:43:31 GMT -5
"Everything's good, except we just need to win some games."
"Everything was great, except for that iceberg."
"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"
"Other than that, Mrs. McKinley, did you enjoy your stay in Buffalo?"
Freaking brain-dead.
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Post by calihanmole on Feb 1, 2024 20:54:14 GMT -5
Unreal how tone deaf Vowels is. Also, I enjoyed how he called the donors old, as if their age makes their dollars less valuable.
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Post by udballer on Feb 1, 2024 21:23:12 GMT -5
"I think he'll go down as one of the best hires that we've ever had." - Robert Vowels
How deep in the sand can a head get?
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Post by upbasketballfan on Feb 1, 2024 21:38:58 GMT -5
If Davis does have another year we still should broom Vowels this year. Who ever is the oversight on Vowels is also really lacking. Get the new AD in, let him look around for his guy and give Coach Kate an extension!
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