within a single score. Eli Holman scored from under the rim to tie the game at 18–all, and Doug Anderson followed it up with a two-handed slam dunk to take the lead by two. Despite being up large early in the game, the Flames went into half-time with a narrow 30–28 lead. The Titans only shortly regained the lead with six minutes remaining in the game on a jumper in the paint by Chase Simon, but UIC retook the lead on a three-pointer by Gary Talton. The Titans were down 61–59 with 11.8 seconds remaining, and Jason Calliste, a 76% free-throw shooter, managed to draw a foul with 2.8 seconds left in the game. He went on to miss the front-end of a one–and–one, and Flames guard Daniel Barnes pulled down the rebound and hit two free throws to end the game in a 63–59 defeat for the Titans. Detroit fell to 0–3 in conference play and 7–10 overall. 12/31/2011 – Detroit at Loyola Chicago Following their loss to UIC two days prior, the Titans traveled across town to face Loyola Chicago. The Ramblers led for almost the entirety of the first half, stretching their lead as high as eight before the Titans mounted a comeback culminating in a successful three-point play by Doug Anderson to take the lead going into half-time 27–24. Detroit had an early 8–0 run in the second half to go up 34–26, and continued to hold Loyola at bay, stretching their lead into double digits multiple times. The Ramblers got as close as 44–39 at the 8:44 mark from a layup by Denzel Brito, but the Titans never let up, defeating Loyola 65–54 and gaining their first conference win of the season. Chase Simon led the team in scoring with 17, and Ray McCallum added 13 points, leading the Titans in rebounding (7) and assists (5). 1/6/2012 – Detroit vs Valparaiso The Titans started the new calendar year with a bout at Calihan Hall against the Valparaiso Crusaders. Valpo ran out to an early eight-point lead to go up 12–4, but the Titans answered with a 16–1 run to go up 20–13. The Titans stretched their lead to double digits many times throughout the first half, but the Crusaders chipped away at the lead before going into half-time down just 3 at 35–32 Detroit. Valpo retook a small lead early in the second half, but