Detroit, MI

Detroit Pistons freeze up in preseason loss to Golden State despite blazing Jaden Ivey

Published

1 year ago

October 14, 2024

Press Room

Detroit Pistons freeze up in preseason loss to Golden State despite blazing Jaden Ivey

The Golden State Warriors didn’t need their stars to bury the Detroit Pistons under a barrage of 3-pointers on Sunday.

The Pistons were blown out on the road by the Warriors, 111-93, even though the 2022 NBA champs were without Steph Curry and Draymond Green. They overcame their absence by knocking down 18 3-pointers on 39 attempts. A 17-2 run at the end of the first quarter created an insurmountable deficit for the Pistons, who knocked down just seven of their 29 shots beyond the arc (and only one of nine in the opening period).

Jaden Ivey led the Pistons with another strong night — 19 points (7-for-10 shooting, 3-for-5 from 3) and four assists, though he also committed four turnovers. Cade Cunningham (18 points, seven assists) and Jalen Duren (14 points, nine rebounds, three blocks) also scored in double figures.

OFFENSIVE WORK: Tobias Harris shines in debut, Cade Cunningham does a lot in blowout for Detroit Pistons

Six players reached double figures for the Warriors, with Moses Moody (14 points) leading the way. The Pistons (2-2) will finish the preseason on Wednesday at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit).

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff replaced Tim Hardaway Jr. with Malik Beasley in the starting lineup, which was rounded out by Cunningham, Ivey, Duren and Tobias Harris (six points, four assists, three blocks, two steals).

Ivey continues to show consistency as shooter

The third-year guard has been the Pistons’ best offensive player, in part thanks to the leap he appears to be undertaking as a 3-point shooter. He entered Sunday’s game having knocked down six of 12 attempts through three games, and he was nearly the only Piston who could hit one against the Warriors, responsible for three of their seven makes.

It’s not just Ivey’s shooting, though — his speed is a weapon and he has looked more confident in an offense in which he has consistently found ways to get moving downhill. Ivey has attacked open space on cuts, lost defenders on screens and beat entire defenses in transition. So far in preseason, he’s second in field goal percentage (26-for-43, 60.5%) and only trails Cunningham in shot attempts.

Pistons still seeking balance in first and second units

It was a competitive game for all of eight minutes. When Cunningham checked out for the first time, with 4:34 to play in the first quarter, the Pistons trailed 16-15. They didn’t score a field goal the rest of the quarter to trail by 14 points at the end of the period.

The second unit, with Ivey as the sole ball-handler playing with Hardaway Jr., Ron Holland, Simone Fontecchio and Isaiah Stewart, struggled to find its flow as Golden State fired 3-pointers, making six of their seven attempts in the quarter. Cunningham and Harris are two of the Pistons’ best passers, and the offense faltered with both of them on the bench.

Bickerstaff has staggered Cunningham and Ivey so far, but Ivey may need more support if he’s to play long stretches of the game without Cunningham.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Mercy basketball two wins away from NCAA tournament bid

Published

11 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Mercy basketball two wins away from NCAA tournament bid

UDM is two wins away from its first NCAA tournament berth since 2012.

Calling what Detroit Mercy basketball has done this season a resurgence may be an undersell.

UDM (16-14, 12-8 Horizon), the No. 3-seed in the Horizon League Tournament, is playing No. 2 Robert Morris (22-10, 13-7) in the conference semifinals at Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis on Monday, March 9. The game is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN2.

For a team that went 8-24 in the 2024-25 season, and a program-worst 1-31 in 2023-24, that the Titans are just two wins away from an NCAA Tournament appearance represents nothing short of a rebirth. That possibility looked distant even on Jan. 24, when a 95-87 loss to rival Oakland brought the Titans to 8-12 overall.

Watch Horizon League tournament on Fubo

But UDM responded by winning seven of its last nine regular-season games, including a 95-89 win against Oakland at the O’Rena to secure the team’s first 16-win season since 2016.

“We all found out who we were as players and as people. So now we know what positions to put the right people in at the right time,” said Titans senior point guard Orlando Lovejoy of the team’s late-season surge. “Once we figured that out, it was game on.”

The Detroit native Lovejoy has put up exceptional numbers in his senior season with the Titans, putting up a career-high 33 points in a 74-70 win over Green Bay on Feb. 22 and 29 points on 13-for-16 shooting against Oakland in the regular-season finale.

“He scores in phases. He can score on the fast break, he can post up, he can get to his spots,” said UDM coach Mark Montgomery. “He also brings the, ‘Gimme the ball in the biggest moments, and I’ll take over.’”

Lovejoy might have to take over more than usual against a tough Robert Morris team. The Colonials are the defending Horizon League champions and have beaten the Titans twice this year, with an 85-77 win in Detroit on March 2 and a 73-62 win at home on Feb. 25.

“We turned the ball over in key moments in those games, and then we have to keep them off the offensive glass,” said Montgomery of the Colonials. “We’re gonna get down to Indy, we’re going to enjoy a day, and then we’re going to lock in and know it’s one-and-done time.”

As for Lovejoy, who only gets four tickets to give to friends and family for the upcoming game, he expects to have a big travelling crowd to support him and the local team.

“I don’t know who I’m not bringing to Indianapolis,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of people coming to support as they did ever since I started playing basketball.”

Detroit Mercy basketball time vs Robert Morris in Horizon League semifinal

Date: Monday, March 9.
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET.
Location: Corteva Coliseum, Indianapolis.

UDM is looking for its fourth conference tournament win and first since 2012.

Detroit Mercy basketball channel vs Robert Morris in Horizon League semifinal

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. ET.
Channel: ESPN2.
Streaming: Fubo.

Monday’s Horizon League semifinal game featuring UDM and Robert Morris will be televised on ESPN2 and can be streamed on Fubo, which carries ESPN channels.

Watch Detroit Mercy-Robert Morris on Fubo

Horizon League tournament results

Play-in: No. 11 Cleveland State 101, No. 10 IU Indianapolis 93.
First round: No. 5 Green Bay 64, No. 6 Purdue.
First round: No. 1 Wright State 90, No. 10 Cleveland State 61.
First round: No. 2 Robert Morris 68, Youngstown State 53.
First round: No. 3 UDM 84, No. 8 Milwaukee 63.
First round: No. 7 Northern Kentucky 85, No. 4 Oakland 84.
Sunday, March 8, Second round: No. 5 Green Bay vs No. 7 Northern Kentucky, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+).
Monday, March 9, Semifinal: No. 1 Wright State vs TBD, 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU).
Monday, March 9, Semifinal: No. 2 Robert Morris vs No. 3 UDM, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
Tuesday, March 10, Final: TBD vs TBD, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN).

Detroit Mercy NCAA tournament history

UDM hasn’t made the NCAA tournament since the 2011-12 season and has only made the tournament six times in program history..

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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.

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Detroit, MI

Multiple tornadoes reported in Southwest Michigan amid severe weather

Published

23 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Multiple tornadoes reported in Southwest Michigan amid severe weather

Updated on: March 6, 2026 / 7:42 PM EST
/ CBS Detroit

At least two tornadoes were reported in Southwest Michigan on Friday amid severe weather, according to CBS Detroit’s Chief Meteorologist Ahmad Bajjey.

Two of the tornadoes were reported in Union City and Three Rivers, while a possible third tornado may have been in St. Joseph County. Bajjey says the tornadoes caused significant damage. According to Consumers Energy, more than 3,200 customers are without power as of 7:40 p.m. on Friday.

Official reports of fatalities or injuries are unknown, but CBS-affiliate WWMT in Kalamazoo reports that the Branch County medical examiner is on scene in Union City.

The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division says Gov. Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center in response to the storms in Branch, Cass and St. Joseph counties. The department says the center will be supporting local requests for assistance.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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