What a night it was at Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis, as Detroit Mercy delivered a performance for the ages, stunning the defending Horizon League champions, Robert Morris, 70-64, in Monday's semifinal showdown. With this victory, the Titans are now just one win away from their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012, and the energy in the building was palpable as the final seconds ticked away.
Coming into the game, the odds and recent history seemed stacked against Detroit Mercy. Robert Morris, the No. 2 seed, boasted a 22-10 record and had swept the Titans in both regular-season meetings, winning 85-77 on the road in January and 73-62 at home in February. The Colonials were riding an eight-game winning streak, hadn't lost since January 31, and were widely considered the hottest team in the Horizon League. Their offense, ranked among the best in college basketball, featured a lethal three-point attack (shooting over 38% on the year) and top-15 offensive rebounding prowess. Most betting experts, including those from BetMGM and DraftKings, had Robert Morris favored by 4.5 points, with a moneyline of -210, and predicted another Colonials victory.
But as the saying goes, that's why they play the game. Detroit Mercy, the No. 3 seed at 17-14, flipped the script with a gritty, inspired effort. The Titans entered the night with momentum of their own, having won nine of their last eleven games and coming off a blowout win over Milwaukee in the tournament opener. Under head coach Mark Montgomery, the program has made a dramatic turnaround, climbing out of the depths of a 1-31 season just two years ago to now stand on the brink of March Madness glory.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Robert Morris taking a slim 36-33 lead into the break. DeSean Goode, recently named Horizon League Player of the Year, anchored the Colonials with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Nikolaos Chitikoudis added 13 points and seven assists. Ryan Prather Jr. and Ta'Zir Smith each chipped in 11 points, providing balanced scoring for Robert Morris.
Yet, the story of the night belonged to Detroit Mercy's dynamic backcourt duo. Senior guard Orlando Lovejoy led all scorers with 21 points, going an impressive 11-for-12 from the free-throw line and dishing out six assists. According to the Associated Press, "Lovejoy made 5 of 14 shots and 11 of 12 free throws for the Titans, adding six assists." His poise at the charity stripe, especially down the stretch, was instrumental in keeping the Colonials at bay. Lance Stone, the smallest player on the court at just 5-foot-8, came off the bench to tie his career high with 16 points, including two clutch three-pointers. Stone's late-shot-clock triple midway through the second half gave Detroit Mercy a crucial seven-point cushion and brought the Titans fans to their feet.
"We knew coming in that nobody believed in us except ourselves," Lovejoy said postgame, his voice barely cutting through the cheers. "But that's all we needed. We just kept fighting."
The Titans' second-half surge was fueled by a blistering offensive stretch, where they made five straight field goals to seize the lead at the 14-minute mark—a lead they would never relinquish. Detroit Mercy shot an impressive 52.2% from the field in the second half, with redshirt freshman guard Tyler Spratt contributing 10 points and redshirt senior Legend Geeter hauling down 10 rebounds. Despite missing sophomore guard TJ Nadeau for much of the final 20 minutes due to foul trouble, Detroit Mercy found ways to execute offensively and tighten up defensively when it mattered most.
Robert Morris, for their part, refused to go quietly. The Colonials clawed back from a nine-point deficit, twice pulling within two in the final minutes. Down 66-64, DeSean Goode snatched an offensive rebound off a missed free throw, giving Robert Morris a golden opportunity to tie. But as fate would have it, Goode lost his balance and tossed the ball out of bounds, where Detroit Mercy's Ryan Kalambay grabbed it with just 5.6 seconds left. Kalambay calmly sank both free throws to ice the game and send the Titans faithful into celebration mode.
"We had our chances, but turnovers killed us late," Robert Morris coach lamented. "Give Detroit Mercy credit—they made the plays when it counted." The Colonials, who had won by at least 10 points in six straight games and boasted a 10-5-1 record against the spread as favorites, saw their remarkable run come to an end. It was a tough pill to swallow for a team that had not played a single-digit margin game in over a month.
For Detroit Mercy, the win not only snapped Robert Morris' eight-game streak but also marked just their second winning season in the last decade—a testament to the resilience and growth under Coach Montgomery. The Titans' last NCAA Tournament appearance came in 2012, and with just one bid expected for the Horizon League, Tuesday's championship game against top-seeded Wright State (22-11) is truly win-or-go-home. That contest is set for 7 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN, with the winner claiming the league's automatic berth to the Big Dance.
Looking back, this run is even more remarkable considering Detroit Mercy's recent history. Two years ago, the Titans finished with just one win—a low point that could've sunk the program. Instead, they've rebuilt, leaned into their identity, and now stand just 40 minutes away from a spot in college basketball's biggest showcase. The turnaround is nothing short of extraordinary.
Fans and analysts alike have taken notice. The Titans have now won nine of their last eleven games, peaking at the perfect time. Their semifinal triumph over Robert Morris, the defending champs and preseason favorites, will go down as one of the great upsets in Horizon League tournament lore. As the final buzzer sounded, the emotion was evident on every player's face—relief, joy, and a burning hunger for one more win.
As Detroit Mercy prepares for a date with destiny against Wright State, one thing's for sure: the Titans have already proven they can defy the odds. If Monday night is any indication, nobody should count them out now. The dream is alive and well in Detroit, and the Titans are just one victory away from making it a reality.