Wolverines to Face Detroit Mercy at Little Caesars Arena

» Michigan faces former assistant coach Bacari Alexander and his Detroit Mercy squad at Little Caesars Arena.
» Saturday's game will mark the second time that U-M and Detroit will play an inaugural collegiate basketball game at a newly constructed arena in downtown Detroit -- Joe Louis Arena (1979) and LCA (2017).
» Moritz Wagner is the only Wolverine to score in double figures in every game and continues to lead U-M in scoring (15.6) and rebounding (7.6).
» Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman recorded his first career double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) at Texas.

THIS WEEK
Tuesday, Dec. 12 -- at Texas, win 59-52 (Recap)
Saturday, Dec. 16 -- vs. Detroit-Mercy, noon (ESPNU)

The University of Michigan men's basketball team (9-3; 1-1 B1G) will close out its week on the road playing Detroit Mercy (4-6) on Saturday (Dec. 16) in a neutral-site contest at Little Caesars Arena -- home of the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons. Tipoff is scheduled for noon with the game broadcast on ESPNU.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE TITANS
• Detroit Mercy, which has not played since Dec. 9, heads to Little Caesars Arena with a 4-6 record. After an early non-conference three-game winning streak, the Titans have lost their last four -- at Fort Wayne (91-82), at UCLA (106-73), Toledo (89-86) and Western Michigan (87-79).
• Detroit Mercy is coached by former Michigan assistant coach Bacari Alexander. He spent six seasons with U-M (2010-16) and helped the Wolverines to two Big Ten titles and six trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a trip to the 2013 NCAA Final Four and national title game.
• In addition to Alexander, former Wolverine Kam Chatman is averaging 17.9 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds. In two seasons with U-M (2014-16), he played in 60 games averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds. He is best known for knocking down a three-pointer as time expired helping U-M knock off No. 1 seed Indiana in the 2016 Big Ten Tournament.
• The Titans average 89.4 points per game and have allowed 91.6 per game -- allowing opponents to surpass 100 points four times.
• UDM's lineup features five players scoring in double figures led by Corey Allen's 18.7 points per game, followed by Chatman (17.9), Jermaine Jackson Jr. (11.9), Josh McFolley (11.8) and Tariiq Jones (10.0).
• The team finished 8-23 last season, including a 5-12 finish in the Horizon League.
• Michigan holds a 24-4 advantage over Detroit Mercy in the all-time series and have won the last 14 matchups. The last time U-M and UDM played was in the 2014 Progressive Legends Classic regional games at Crisler Center. The Wolverines claimed a 71-62 victory.

A DOWNTOWN FIRST … AGAIN
• Saturday afternoon's game will be the first collegiate basketball game played at Little Caesars Arena -- the new home for the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons.
• The game will mark the second time U-M and Detroit Mercy will christen a new arena in downtown Detroit.
• On Dec. 12, 1979, the first event held in newly constructed Joe Louis Arena (home for the Red Wings) resulted in an 85-72 Michigan victory over Detroit.

ICYMI ...
• Michigan is fifth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.64).
• Michigan is fifth nationally in turnovers per game (9.4).
• Michigan is sixth nationally in personal fouls per game (14.3).
• Michigan is 28th nationally in scoring defense (62.8).
• Nearly 45 percent of U-M's offense comes via the long-range shot -- 322 3FGA (7th nationally) and 708 FGA.
• The Wolverines have made eight-plus three-pointers in a game in nine of the 12 games.
• Moritz Wagner is the only Wolverine to score in double figures in every game this season
• Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman ranks fourth nationally with a 5.0 assist-to-turnover ratio (40 assists, 8 turnovers)
• Abdur-Rahkman is ranked third nationally playing 423 total minutes (35.5 mpg - 55th nationally).
• Abdur-Rahkman is closing in on 1,000 career points. He has 908, just 92 away from becoming the 52nd Wolverine to reach the coveted mark.
• Jordan Poole has made 18 field goals, 11 of which have come from long range.
• Eli Brooks has made 16 field goals, nine of which have come from long range.

THE CHALLENGE COMING TO AN END
• Following U-M's dramatic 78-69 overtime win over UCLA and a big 59-52 road win at Texas, U-M's six-game test closes when U-M faces Detroit Mercy -- and former assistant coach Bacari Alexander -- in the first college basketball game in Little Caesars Arena -- home of the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons -- in downtown Detroit.
• The game is part of a tripleheader downtown as Michigan State plays Oakland at LCA at 2:30 p.m., followed with the Detroit Lions host the Chicago Bears at 4 p.m. at Ford Field.

CLOSING OUT THE NON-CONFERENCE
• After opening with 13 games in the first 36 days of the season, U-M closes its non-conference season playing its final two non-conference games over the final 14 days of the 2017 calendar.
• Right at the tail end of U-M's finals schedule, the Wolverines host Alabama A&M on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 9 p.m. (ESPNU). The Maize & Blue will close out 2017 with a Saturday, Dec. 30 game with Jacksonville at 6 p.m. (BTN).