With a convincing 75-59 win over UCSB on February 22, 2003, Detroit's Perry Watson became the all-time winningest coach in Horizon League history. The win was his 94th league victory, which put him one above Barry Collier, who coached at Butler from 1989-2000.

Watson, who is in his 10th season, has clearly brought winning back to Detroit Titans basketball. After the UCSB win Perry stands at 190-112 at Detroit. During the last four years his teams have been a sparkling 127-50.

He has his choice of three championship rings to wear each day, which represent the conference titles claimed by his team in 1994, 1998 and 1999. On three other occasions Watson has taken Detroit to the league championship game. In 1998 and 1999 Watson guided the Titans to the NCAA Tournament. His 2001 team fought their way to the NIT semi-finals at Madison Square Gardens and the Titans were again invited back to the NIT last March

Perry's winning stretch started in '98 when the Titans went 25-6, followed by 25-6, 20-12, 25-12 and 18-13 last year. When he won 20 games for the third year in a row in 2000 that was just the third time in Detroit history that had been done.

All told, Watson was selected the 1998 MCC Coach of the year and has produced eight winning campaigns in his first nine years at the Titan helm. He has coached seven different All-MCC players in his tenure, as well as two conference Players of the Year (Jermaine Jackson and Rashad Phillips) and two Newcomers of the Year (Derrick Hayes and Phillips).

Watson broke into the college head coaching ranks with a bang, taking his first team to the school's first-ever MCC Championship. They returned again in 1996 to the MCC Championship game. It was the 13th time in 14 years that Watson played a major role in taking a team to the championship.

Coach Watson came to the Titans after two years as the top assistant at the University of Michigan, which played in the NCAA Championship game during both of those seasons. Before that he had built a national recognized program as head coach at Detroit Southwestern High School, and his last nine teams all played for the State Class A Championship. .

When Watson took over as head coach for the Titans, he liked both the challenge as well as the potential of bringing back the glory to the only Division I program in the city of Detroit. The success of the Titans under Watson has not gone unnoticed by other programs. "It is a tremendous compliment to the players and staff we've had here that we have become one of the blueprints for mid-majors in terms of coming back every year and competing for championships and a tournament when the odds are always stacked against us," said Watson. One of the things that put Watson's Detroit on the basketball map is the ability to beat high-profile schools. The Titans beat Michigan State three years in a row, went to the NCAA Tournament and whipped St. Johns and then went back and beat UCLA.

One of the keys to Coach Watson's success has been his ability to keep top high school players home in this basketball hotbed. It is really an area where year-in and year-out there is tremendous talent coming out of Detroit area high schools. He has used his Detroit hometown roots to convince local players that some of the best basketball is played in their own backyard. According to Watson, "Regardless of whether you talk about programs having glamour, there is still nothing like staying home with your family and playing in front of your family and friends. We just hope to be able to continue that trend and continue to be successful as an option for young men here in Detroit to stay here."

Success is to Watson what cars are to Detroit. But after almost ten years it really hasn't changed him. "I haven't changed. It shouldn't change you. This is a team game and I understand the importance of coaches, players and support people. I've had a great family life and a great marriage. Sometimes you do your best teaching when you don't have to point it out to people," said Watson.

Perry Watson is coaching in his hometown, at a school he really loves, in a situation that was made for him. Look for him to roll up a very impressive number of wins over the next years at Detroit. By the time he is finished he will have set the bar very high for future Horizon League coaches. It may be a long, long time until some future writer reports on a new Horizon League wins record.

"I think he has an eye for talent. He puts together a team that is very disciplined and executes very well. They play tough too."
Todd Lickliter
Butler coach

"I always thought his teams were always prepared and he has tough kids. They play with no fear, no matter who they play against."
Bruiser Flint
Drexel coach

"I think the thing that makes Perry Watson great is that he has great control of his team and his program. You are going to have to play well to beat his team."
Ed Schilling
Memphis assistant coach

"He's an enigma to me, because why isn't he coaching in the Big Ten? His team is good, he is quiet and dignified. I think he is a big timer hiding in the Horizon League."
Phil Martelli
St. Joe's coach

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