Pregame Preview: Detroit Mercy (7-9, 4-3) vs Northern Kentucky (13-6, 5-3)
Detroit Mercy is showing signs of a real resurgence in the Horizon League. After going a combined 5–35 in league play over the previous two seasons, the Titans have already matched that momentum early this year, sitting at 4–3 in conference action. Two of those wins came against Cleveland State and another against IU Indy, but it was the road victory at Youngstown State that truly put the league on notice and suggested this group is different.
The offense, however, remains unconventional and at times inefficient. Detroit Mercy leans heavily into long twos and ranks bottom five nationally in average two-point attempt distance, a shot profile that limits overall efficiency. Even so, conference play has brought a noticeable uptick from the perimeter. The Titans are shooting 41.3% from three in league games, though they remain a low-volume three-point team.
Defensively, the improvement has been more consistent. In Horizon League play, Detroit Mercy has been far more reliable on that end, holding opponents to a 50.4% effective field goal percentage, which ranks third in the league and has helped fuel their early-season turnaround.
Mark Montgomery enters the NKU matchup in his second season leading Detroit Mercy, continuing to build the foundation of a program he knows well. Hired as the Titans’ 23rd head coach in April 2024, Montgomery showed early signs of progress in his first year, snapping a 22-game road losing streak and knocking off both preseason league favorite Purdue Fort Wayne and eventual conference champion Robert Morris. A Detroit-area native and former Detroit Mercy assistant, Montgomery returned to Calihan Hall after a respected stint on Tom Izzo’s staff at Michigan State, where he helped guide the Spartans to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Detroit Mercy’s rotation has been shaped in part by injuries. Junior guard/forward Ayden Carter, a 6'5" playmaker who started five games earlier this season, has not played since December 3 against IU Indy. Carter was averaging 12.2 points and 4.3 rebounds before the injury, which did not appear to occur during game action, suggesting it may have happened in practice.
Depth has helped steady the Titans. Detroit Mercy ranks second in the Horizon League and 44th nationally in bench scoring, averaging 31.3 points per game, highlighted by a season-high 59 bench points against IU Indy. The bench for the Titans accounts for 45.5% of the team's minutes, which is 4th nationally. That depth has kept UDM competitive even as lineups have shifted.
History, however, has favored Northern Kentucky. The Norse lead the all-time series 17–5 since joining the Horizon League and have won nine of the last 13 meetings. Detroit Mercy has struggled on the road in the matchup, going just 2–11 all-time at NKU and dropping five straight games away from Detroit. Even last season’s split in the regular season ultimately tilted NKU’s way, with the Norse winning the postseason meeting when it mattered most.
From a matchup standpoint, Detroit Mercy’s limited rim protection stands out. The Titans average just 3.1 blocks per game, an area NKU can look to exploit with physical interior play. Detroit Mercy does counter with reliable free-throw shooting at 75.7%, a strength that helps them stay close late even when the offense bogs down.
Check out the full scouting report ahead of the matchup with the Norse.
Detroit Mercy's Scouting Report
★ = Starter of Previous Game
★ #1 Tyler Spratt – Redshirt Freshman Guard, 6'5" 200 lbs – Farmington, MI / North Farmington
Previous School: Cleveland State
Season Averages: 19.3 MIN, 7.5 PTS, 2.8 REB, 0.9 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.3 BLK, 0.8 TO, 36.8 FG%, 75.9 FT%, 33.3 3PT%
Spratt has moved into a consistent role in the lineup, starting each of the last seven games and 12 total this season. His shot profile leans heavily toward the perimeter, with 60 of his 106 field goal attempts coming from three. While he is capable of attacking off the bounce, he is most effective operating out of dribble handoffs, where he can turn the corner or make quick reads. When he puts the ball on the floor, he shows a clear preference for driving left. Detroit Mercy also uses him frequently as a spot-up shooter on either wing. Finishing at the rim has been a challenge. Spratt is just 10 for 23 on attempts inside, and defenders will likely test him there.
Before Detroit Mercy, Spratt began his career at Cleveland State. He redshirted as a freshman and did not appear in a game before transferring following the Vikings’ coaching change.
#4 Keshawn Fisher – Freshman Guard/Forward, 6'7" 200 lbs – Detroit, MI / River Rouge / Overtime Elite
Season Averages: 13.1 MIN, 6.6 PTS, 2.8 REB, 0.8 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.4 BLK, 1.1 TO, 43.6 FG%, 86.7 FT%, 28.2 3PT%
Fisher has settled into a freshman role player spot but has shown real scoring upside recently, reaching double figures in four of his last six games. Most of his production comes in transition, where he runs the floor hard and is comfortable pushing the ball himself after defensive rebounds. In the halfcourt, he is used primarily as a spot-up, catch-and-shoot perimeter option. While the sample size is still small, Fisher has been a positive defender. Opponents have shot just 34% from the field when matched up against him.
Fisher was a three-star recruit with an 85 rating on 247Sports. He spent last season at Overtime Elite, averaging 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks. He was also a finalist for Overtime Elite Defensive Player of the Year.
★ #5 Orlando Lovejoy – Senior Guard, 6'3" 190 lbs – Detroit, MI / Summit Academy North
Previous School: Eastern Michigan
Season Averages: 28.9 MIN, 13.1 PTS, 3.3 REB, 3.9 AST, 1.9 STL, 0.1 BLK, 1.5 TO, 40.9 FG%, 90.9 FT%, 21.4 3PT%
Lovejoy is the engine of Detroit Mercy’s offense and the team’s leading scorer. He operates primarily as a high ball-screen ball handler and shows a clear preference for driving left, especially when turning the corner into the lane. He is dangerous in transition, where he looks to attack early. His shot profile is unconventional by today’s standards. Lovejoy is a high-volume midrange shooter who consistently hunts pull-ups and long twos. He has already taken 84 shots from the midrange area this season and shoots very few threes, with just 14 attempts on the year.
Defensively, he can be targeted. Opponents are shooting 42.4% against him, and NKU has had success pressuring him in the past. In three meetings last season, Lovejoy averaged 18.7 points per game but needed heavy volume to get there, taking more than 18 shots per contest. NKU also forced 11 turnovers from him across those three games.
In 2024–25, Lovejoy started all 30 games he appeared in, missing two with an ankle injury, and led Detroit Mercy with 16.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He shot 44.7% from the field and 86.7% at the line, finishing top 10 in the Horizon League in scoring (4th), assists (7th), steals (2nd), field-goal percentage (8th), free-throw percentage (2nd), and minutes played (2nd at 35:05).
#11 Lance Stone – Freshman Guard, 5'8" 160 lbs – Detroit, MI / Renaissance
Season Averages: 18.6 MIN, 6.3 PTS, 1.5 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.4 STL, 0.1 BLK, 1.1 TO, 30.2 FG%, 86.0 FT%, 25.5 3PT%
Stone’s offensive profile leans heavily toward the perimeter, with 47 of his 86 shot attempts coming from three. He tied his career high with 11 points in the most recent game against Cleveland State. Despite his size, he has been a solid defender as a freshman, holding opponents to 35.5% shooting. Offensively, Detroit Mercy uses him frequently as a high pick-and-roll ball handler, where he shows a strong tendency to drive right, but rarely gets all the way to the rim.
Stone is a highly decorated Detroit guard from Renaissance. A former Michigan Mr. Basketball and four-time All-State selection who finished his prep career with over 1,500 points and a state-record 850-plus assists.
★ #20 London Maiden – Junior Forward, 6'8" 250 lbs – Cleveland, OH / Richmond Heights
Previous School: Blinn College
Season Averages: 15.8 MIN, 6.5 PTS, 3.0 REB, 0.4 AST, 0.1 STL, 0.3 BLK, 1.4 TO, 52.5 FG%, 69.0 FT%, 0.0 3PT%
Maiden has moved into the starting lineup for the Titans in each of the last four games. His offensive role is limited, but clearly defined. He scores almost exclusively on post-ups, dump-offs, and offensive putbacks, and he has not attempted a three-point shot all season. Detroit Mercy values him more for his physical presence and defensive impact than for scoring.
Defensively, Maiden has been effective. He has held opponents to just 30.8% shooting from the field and is on the floor primarily to anchor lineups on that end. The concern is discipline. Maiden can get into foul trouble quickly, fouling out in two of his last three games and committing 13 fouls over that three-game stretch. That is notable against an NKU team that consistently looks to attack the paint and generate trips to the free throw line.
Prior to Detroit Mercy, Maiden played his sophomore season at Blinn College after beginning his career at Mars Hill. At Blinn, he averaged 11.4 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 59.2% from the field and 71.0% at the line, earning NJCAA All-Region XIV honors. He recorded 19 double-figure scoring games and three double-doubles. Out of high school, he signed with Kent State but did not see game action during the 2022–23 season.
#23 Legend Geeter – Senior Forward, 6'8" 230 lbs – River Rouge, MI / River Rouge
Previous School: Eastern Michigan
Season Averages: 20.8 MIN, 6.2 PTS, 5.4 REB, 1.8 AST, 0.2 STL, 0.2 BLK, 1.3 TO, 46.4 FG%, 60.0 FT%, 29.4 3PT%
Geeter has started 10 games this season but has not been in the starting lineup the last two. His offensive value comes from activity rather than shooting range. He is not a true perimeter threat and does most of his damage on spot-ups inside the arc, post touches, and second-chance opportunities. Nearly half of his rebounds, 29 of 70, have come on the offensive glass, making him Detroit Mercy’s best offensive rebounder.
Defensively, he has struggled. Opponents are shooting 44.2% when matched up against him, and he can be attacked in space. NKU has been comfortable sagging off him in past matchups. Against the Norse last season, Geeter went just 3-for-13 from the field across three games and did not attempt a shot in the Horizon League Tournament meeting.
★ #30 Ryan Kalambay – Sophomore Forward, 6'9" 240 lbs – Brampton, Ontario / Fort Erie Academy
Season Averages: 15.0 MIN, 2.8 PTS, 3.8 REB, 0.6 AST, 0.3 STL, 0.9 BLK, 0.8 TO, 52.9 FG%, 64.3 FT%, 0.0 3PT%
Kalambay has moved into the starting lineup in each of the last four games, with a noticeable increase in minutes and responsibility. He is coming off his best performance of the season, scoring a season-high 10 points while recording a double-double that included five offensive rebounds. Most of Kalambay’s offensive value comes from activity around the rim. He is an aggressive offensive rebounder, already collecting 26 offensive boards this season, and nearly all of his scoring opportunities come on putbacks and interior finishes.
Against NKU last season, Kalambay made his presence felt on the glass. In the Horizon League Tournament meeting, he finished with six points and five offensive rebounds against the Norse.
★ #33 TJ Nadeau – Sophomore Guard, 6'5" 205 lbs – South Lyon, MI / Detroit Catholic Central
Season Averages: 24.4 MIN, 12.9 PTS, 3.7 REB, 1.0 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.2 BLK, 1.1 TO, 49.6 FG%, 84.0 FT%, 46.5 3PT%
Nadeau has started every game he has played this season and has emerged as one of Detroit Mercy’s most reliable perimeter weapons. His offensive profile is heavily three-point driven, with 71 of his 133 shot attempts coming from beyond the arc. He does not have enough attempts to qualify among the Horizon League’s top three-point shooters, but if he did, his efficiency would rank second in the league.
Most of Nadeau’s success comes off movement. He shoots the ball well coming off ball screens and relocations and will occasionally handle pick-and-roll duties when Detroit Mercy shifts responsibilities. Finishing at the rim has been a weakness, as he is just 9-for-22 on attempts inside the paint this season.
Against NKU last year, Nadeau went 12-for-26 from the field across three meetings. In 2024–25, he appeared in all 32 games with 16 starts, averaging 8.9 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 36.1% from the field, 34.3% from three, and 86.0% at the line in 24.4 minutes per game.
