The Detroit Titans finished the 2004-05 season in mediocre and nondescript fashion with a record of 14-16 straight up and 14-13 against the spread to be a team with “no there there.”
It is interesting to note, however, that Detroit did close relatively well after a horrific stretch in the heart of the season in which they went 4-8 against the board before finishing with three straight covers, just as they faced massed desertion, if not outright opposition, from the college basketball gambling public.
Stumbled out of the gate
Detroit began the 2005-06 season with an unlined home win over Rochester College, 80-61. That was followed by their first line game of the season, the road opener at Drake, which the Titans lost 61-69 as 1-point dogs. The Titans next lost in a blowout at Oklahoma State 56-90 as 11.5-point dogs.
Detroit next had an unlined neutral court game against Shawnee State, which they won 56-51. That was followed by a 60-66 neutral court loss to Buffalo as 2.5-point dogs as they stumbled out of the gate with a 0-3 mark against the spread.
Detroit applied a brief band aid to the bleeding with a 64-60 win at Eastern Michigan as 3.5-point chalks but went right back into the tank with a 77-74 overtime home win over Western Michigan as 5-point overlays. That was followed by a 58-69 loss at Wright State as 1-point dogs as the Titans began with five losses in their first six games against the spread.
Climbing out of the hole Detroit Titans
Detroit Titanshas operated in virtual anonymity as a college basketball program with very little public appeal and a 1-5 start against the spread only served to increase their utter lack of appeal with the college basketball betting public. As it turned out, however, Detroit would see their board value enhanced as a result of being unwanted by the masses.
Detroit began climbing out of the hole with a 71-85 loss at Missouri State as 15.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 69-68 home loss to Canisius as 10.5-point overlays in a game that made it appear as if bad times were back.
Detroit Titans was able to stop the bleeding, however, with a pair of loss/covers, first at Ohio 55-56 as 11-point dogs and then at Louisville 48-56 as 16-point dogs for a third payoff in four games.
Back in the tank
Detroit was unable to sustain success, however, as they lost at South Carolina 35-65 as 12.5-point dogs and then at home to Wisconsin Green Bay 60-57 as 9.5-point chalks.
After a 73-67 home win over Loyola-Chicago the Titans went back into the tank with a 68-63 win over Youngstown State as 7.5-point chalks and then a 53-59 overtime loss at Cleveland State as 3.5-point chalks for a fourth loss in five games against the board.
Back in black Detroit Titans
Once again having no public appeal whatsoever, the Titans were back in black as bargain values starting with a 52-64 loss at Butler as 13.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 71-72 loss to UW Milwaukee as 5-point dogs and then a 76-65 win over Illinois Chicago as 6-point chalks for a third straight payoff. Next was a loss/push as Loyola Chicago, a 42-45 loss at UW Green Bay as 1-point dogs and then an 84-73 win over Cleveland State as 7.5-point chalks for a nice stretch of just one loss against the board in six games.
Inconsistent results
Detroit Titans next scored a 65-54 win at Youngstown State as 1.5-point chalks and followed that up with a 65-63 home win over Toledo as 2.5-point chalks. Next was a 57-76 loss at Wisconsin Milwaukee as 10.5-point dogs followed by a 73-71 win over Butler as 2-point dogs. The inconsistent results carried through the Horizon tourney as the Titans beat Cleveland State 92-58 as 8-point chalks before losing to Loyola Chicago 55-64 as 1.5-point chalks to end another nothing season.