Horizon League Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

5. Detroit Mercy Titans

2020-21 season record: 12-10 (10-6 in Horizon)

Key losses – Bul Kuol (15.8 ppg), Marquell Fraser (7.2 ppg), Chris Brandon (5.2 ppg and 5.9 rpg)

When talking about Detroit Mercy, the conversation starts and stops with star guard Antoine Davis. In three years, the 6’1 guard has averaged at least 24 ppg, 4.2 apg, and takes at least 10 three-pointers a game at 36%, while also shooting nearly 90% from the charity stripe. He’s one of, if not the best scorer in college basketball, and if it wasn’t for the team not finishing in the top-2 in any year, would’ve already been Conference Player of the Year.

Part of the reason has been the lack of a supporting cast over the years. But that has been changing under head coach Mike Davis, who found a gem in freshman forward Noah Waterman. The 6’11 big man averaged 11.9 ppg and 4.5 rpg on 56% shooting from the field, including a whopping 53% from three-point range. If he can somewhat repeat those numbers over the course of a season, he could wind up being the best teammate Davis has had with the Titans.

It also could be DJ Harvey, a former top-50 prospect that spent three years at Notre Dame and Vanderbilt before coming to the Horizon League. When healthy, he was a double-digit scorer and capable defender that could be a star at this level. Harvey would be the ideal replacement for Bul Kuol, who was the team’s second-leading scorer.

Outside of returning Conference 6th Man of the Year Matt Johnson (8.3 ppg), the rest of Detroit’s roster has big question marks, particually in the frontcourt. Transfers Kevin McAdoo and Jordan Phillips add potential scoring depth but with Davis having the ball most of the time, they’ll have to show that they can score off the ball to see their production remain similar.

There are multiple newcomers big men for Detroit, including Junior Collge transfer Mohamed Sylla, Prince Oduro, who averaged 9.1 ppg at Siena as a freshman but played very little at Mississippi State and South Florida, Madut Akec from South Florida, and returning role players, Buay Koka,  Willy Isiani.

If any of these guys can break out and provide some offensive production and any kind of interior defense, that could change the outlook of the Flames from a threat to win some games into one that could win the league. Just waiting on consistent production from the supporting group.