It’s a good thing the score doesn’t count yet.
The Bacari Alexander era got off to an embarrassing start last weekend as the University of Detroit Mercy men’s basketball team – a Division I team – lost a charity exhibition game to Division II Wayne State University by a final score of 85-79.
But that wasn’t the most important number.
The game was simply a means to raise money for the Detroit Public School system, and the school was able to raise thousands of dollars thanks to the 2,500 who came to Calihan Hall to see the Oct. 29 game for $2. Michigan First Credit Union will be matching the money that was raised at the tip-off, all of which will go to provide financial assistance for the school district's K-5 classrooms.
“What a tremendous way to benefit young people through two institutions that’s been around as early as the 1800’s in our case and the early 1900’s in Wayne State’s case,” Alexander said. “I was really pleased to partner with David Greer, Rob Fournier, Michigan First Credit Union, along with our leadership team, Robert Vowels and his staff to make a great day like this happen.”
It was the first time the two Detroit-based schools have played each other since an exhibition game in 2002, which UDM won 73-65. The last real game happened in 2000, a 98-73 Titan victory. Detroit Mercy owns a 33-13 career regular season record over the Warriors.
The game was filled with different festivities throughout the night: the Detroit Mercy and Wayne State’s cheer and dance team performances, free giveaways, five minute scrimmages between four different DPS elementary schools (Emerson, Noble, Bagley, and John R. King), and much more. Come halftime, Wayne State was in the lead, 40-36.
Senior Chris Jenkins led the way for Detroit with a game-high 23 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman Corey Allen scored 20 points and junior Jaleel Hogan scored 18 points and nine rebounds.
“Chris Jenkins is a multi-faceted player who we’re going to play through quite a bit, Jaleel Hogan being the other one,” Alexander said. “Chris has a great understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish on both ends of the floor. He has a great sense of by end for what we’re trying to do and I think that Chris is going to be the guy time and time again throughout the season that’s going to not only put up numbers like he put up tonight, but I think that he’s going to have even better nights than what you saw today.”
Detroit Mercy's second and final exhibition game will be on Monday, Nov. 7, as the Titans host Ferris State at Calihan Hall. That game is free and will tip-off at 7 p.m.
