There is no more Mercy in Detroit Mercy University. The school now is known as Detroit U.

Whatever the reason for the name change — perhaps to sound less like a hospital and more like a basketball team — the Titans responded with a strong start and will be the next test for the young Kansas University women’s basketball team.

Tipoff will be 7 tonight in Allen Fieldhouse. The game will be telecast live on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

“Detroit’s good,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “They have a big win at home against Western Carolina, who last year was an NCAA Tournament team.”

Meanwhile, Kansas will have to respond on just one day of rest and without one of its top returners.

Senior guard Erica Hallman, who started all 28 games and averaged 13.1 points last season, will be held out of the lineup for a second straight game because of academic reasons.

Crystal Kemp, who has played with Hallman for the last three seasons, will miss her longtime teammate.

“It was probably toughest on me because we’ve had a lot of talks about our picks and rolls and stuff like that, especially with our friendship off the court,” Kemp said. “When Erica comes back, we’ll be a better team.”

Luckily for Henrickson, the Jayhawks were able to gain an early lead and limit the starters’ minutes in a season-opening 77-53 victory Sunday over Binghamton.

Junior transfer Shaquina Mosley, who took over for Hallman, was the only player to log more than 30 minutes in the contest. She collected four rebounds even though she stands just 5-foot-6.

“I love rebounding,” Mosley said. “My coaches always told me when I was going in as a point guard, ‘Get back. Get back. You have to get back. You’re the fullback.’ Now I get to crash the boards, which is fun.”

Detroit features guard Lindsey Pasquinzo, who has averaged 19 points in the Titans’ first two games. After allowing Binghamton’s Rachel Laws to score 20 points in Sunday’s meeting, Henrickson will be looking for a better defensive effort tonight.

“We’ve got to be able to not let someone go off and do that on us,” Henrickson said, “and have the pride, if nothing else, to not let her touch it and take that same shot all night.”

Kansas State walloped Detroit, 91-55, Sunday in Manhattan.