Tag: Detroit Mercy

Tom Izzo releases statement on departure of Michigan State basketball assistant coach

Tom Izzo releases statement on departure of Michigan State basketball assistant coach

Michigan State basketball fans were eager to see some new faces on the bench coaching this year, and they will be getting at least one new assistant this year, as current assistant coach Mark Montgomery made it official on Wednesday and will be formally taking the Detroit Mercy head coaching job effective immediately.

Following the move, Tom Izzo put out a statement as part of the team’s press release:

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Michigan State basketball assistant coach Mark Montgomery to be hired by Detroit Mercy

MSU assistant Mark Montgomery will be the next head coach at Detroit Mercy

Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo is reportedly losing a member of his staff. Mark Montgomery has reportedly been tabbed as the new head coach of the University of Detroit Mercy.

This will be Montgomery’s second head coaching job, having led Northern Illinois’s basketball program from 2011-2021. Montgomery has also served two long stints as an assistant with Izzo, from 2002-2011 and now 2021-2024.

Izzo will now be tasked with replacing Montgomery on his bench next season.

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REPORT: Michigan State basketball assistant coach a candidate for Detroit Mercy job

REPORT: Michigan State basketball assistant coach a candidate for Detroit Mercy job

After a disappointing season that saw the Spartans fall in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, many fans have been asking for Tom Izzo to make some staff changes. According to a report from Tony Paul of the Detroit News, Izzo may be forced to make that change, as Michigan State basketball assistant coach Mark Montgomery has been flagged as a ‘serious candidate’ for the Detroit Mercy head coaching job.

Montgomery was an assistant at Detroit Mercy in 2021 and was the former head coach of Northern Illinois.

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Former Alabama 4-Star Alex Tchikou transferring to Detroit Mercy

Former Alabama forward Alex Tchikou is transferring to Detroit Mercy. He spent last season at Rhode Island before re-entering the transfer portal this off-season.

Former Alabama forward Alex Tchikou is transferring from Rhode Island to Detroit Mercy. Tchikou spent last season with the Rams.

Tchikou committed to Alabama out of high school. The France native chose the Crimson Tide over other programs like Arizona, Florida State, and Oregon. He was regarded as a four-star coming out of Dream City Christian High School in Glendale, Arizona.

Prior to the start of his freshman season, Tchikou suffered a ruptured achilles causing him to miss the entire season.

As a reshirt-freshman, Tchikou played in just three games for the Crimson Tide.

Following the season, he entered the transfer portal and committed to Rhode Island. In one season with the Rams, Tchikou averaged 4.1 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Following his redshirt-sophomore season, he entered the transfer portal yet agin. He will be heading to the Horizon League to play for Detroit Mercy next season. With the Titans losing their all-time leading scorer in Antoine Davis, Tchikou could prove to be a key piece to the puzzle next season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the Alabama basketball program.

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Notre Dame seniors’ best scoring games at Purcell Pavilion

Take a look back at these memorable performances.

Notre Dame’s graduating class will get one final opportunity to show itself off during senior day at Purcell Pavilion. Although there still will be a few meaningful things to play for against Pittsburgh, the significance of day shouldn’t be lost on any of them. After all, graduating players get only one opportunity to be honored for their years of service to the program, so this is the time to let it all soak in.

Over the past few years, the Irish’s six seniors and one graduate student have had plenty of opportunities to put points on the Purcell Pavilion scoreboard. Some efforts have produced better results than others. As they prepare to take their home court for the last time, let’s take a look at the scoring performances that they haven’t been able to top. Maybe one of these games will be replaced by this upcoming one, but this is their last chance to top themselves in South Bend.

Notre Dame finally plays home basketball game, wins

It took a bit longer than anticipated but Notre Dame finally opened their home basketball season Sunday and picked up a win to boot.

Not even the third time was the charm for the Notre Dame men’s basketball as it took until their fourth try to finally get a home game played to start the 2020-21 season.

After losing last Saturday night at Michigan State, Notre Dame saw three different home games cancelled against the likes of Western Michigan, Tennessee, and Purdue Fort Wayne before the Irish finally started their home slate against Detroit (Mercy) on Sunday.

Notre Dame started quick Sunday as an 11-2 run by the Irish with seven minutes remaining before halftime as their lead extended to 34-26 with the lead eventually being 37-31 at halftime, in large part due to ten first-half points by Nate Laszewski.

To the credit of Mercy, however, they kept battling all afternoon, eventually taking a 63-62 lead with under six minutes to play.  A prompt 12-0 run by Notre Dame though effectively ended the threat as the Irish would emerge a 78-70 winner.

Prentiss Hubb led Notre Dame with 18 points while Laszewski scored six more in the second half to finish with 16.  All Irish starters reached double figures while Laszewski and Dane Goodwin both finished with double-doubles.

The win improves Notre Dame to 1-1 on the young season as they’ll now turn their focus to the Big Ten-ACC Challenge as Ohio State comes to Purcell Pavillion on Tuesday night.

Highlights Below:

 

Spartans survive scare from Detroit Mercy, 83-76

Michigan State found themselves in a dogfight with Detroit Mercy on Friday night, but in the end they ultimately prevailed, 83-76.

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Detroit Mercy opened their season at the Breslin Center and they came out swinging, looking for a fight. The upset-minded Titans matched Michigan State’s scoring from the tip-off and wouldn’t go away, but A late Spartans run helped Michigan State pull away late, winning 83-76.

Titans head coach Mike Davis was familiar with the idea of coming into the Breslin Center to knock off Michigan State, he was the head man at Texas Southern who upset the Spartans in 2016. Davis led the Titans with a strong gameplan to try and knock off MSU, which worked for a while, but in the end, wasn’t enough.

The Spartans and the Titans spent the majority of the first half trading buckets with one another. This trend continued into the second half until about 9:36 left, the Spartans trailed 59-54 and needed a spark, that’s when Rocket Watts got two big buckets back to back. Watts sparked a 12-2 run over the next four minutes of game action to allow MSU to regain a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Gabe Brown helped spurn any type of Detroit comeback, scoring 10 of his 16 points down the stretch and in big moments late in the game. Julius Marble also did his part in stifling any comeback attempts with 7 of his 9 point effort coming within the last five minutes of the game.

Rocket Watts led the way in scoring again, pushing the Spartans to the finish line, with 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Aaron Henry added a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Joey Hauser was in double figures again as well with 10 points.

The Spartans look to stay undefeated when they face Western Michigan on Sunday at 6 p.m. EST.

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Notre Dame Basketball Player Review: Dane Goodwin

Sophomore guard Dane Goodwin was Notre Dame’s best bench player of the past season.

Sophomore guard Dane Goodwin was Notre Dame’s best bench player of the past season. A potent threat on offense, Goodwin averaged 10.8 points a game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field, 37.7 percent from 3-point range, and 83.3 percent at the free-throw line. He so impressed Mike Brey that he earned his second start of the season in the Irish’s only ACC tournament game before the sports world came to a halt. That left little doubt about his value moving forward.

Goodwin had the best scoring game of his career so far when he scored 27 points Dec. 10 against Detroit Mercy. On Senior Day against Virginia Tech, he did a whole bunch of right with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field while dishing out four assists and finishing one rebound shy of a double-double. His best stretch came when he scored in double figures in six consecutive games from Jan. 11 to Feb. 1.

If Brey inserting Goodwin into the starting lineup at the very end of the season is any indication, that will be Goodwin’s home for the rest of his time at Notre Dame.

Watch: Juwan Durham Plays Above Rim vs. Detroit Mercy

This past season, Juwan Durham was Notre Dame’s best player down low not named John Mooney. While not a prolific scorer, he was a decent rebounder and a terrific shot blocker (he led the Irish in the latter category). Occasionally, he did everything …

This past season, Juwan Durham was Notre Dame’s best player down low not named John Mooney. While not a prolific scorer, he was a decent rebounder and a terrific shot blocker (he led the Irish in the latter category). Occasionally, he did everything right. Take, for example, Dec. 10 against Detroit Mercy:

Notre Dame Basketball Player Review: Juwan Durham

As a senior, Juwan Durham averaged the fewest minutes of any regular Notre Dame starter (17.1).

As a senior, Juwan Durham averaged the fewest minutes of any regular Notre Dame starter (17.1). In spite of this, he built on one solid performance after another. On Dec. 10 against Detroit Mercy, he matched what was then a career high of 16 points to go with nine rebounds and five blocks. He turned in another 16-point performance Jan. 25 at Florida State before setting a new career best Feb. 15 at Duke with 21 points.

Durham averaged 7.8 points and 4.6 rebounds a game while accumulating a team-high 66 blocks. With another year of eligibility, the Irish expect him to return as a graduate student next season. That will be a relief to a team that won’t have John Mooney anymore. While not a double-double machine like Mooney, Durham will continue to provide the Irish with much-needed size and the productivity it requires on both ends.

Notre Dame needs a leader in the paint with Mooney not there anymore, and assuming he comes back, Durham will be that man.