Gameday Central
Game Notes vs. Youngstown State
 
DETROIT (2/13/2015) -- Positioning in the Horizon League is on the line as the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team welcomes Youngstown State into historic Calihan Hall on Saturday.
 
Game time is set for 2:00 p.m., on Dick Vitale Court with Denny Kapp calling all the action on ESPN3.
 
Fans can follow every Detroit game this season through the women's basketball GAMEDAY CENTRAL page located on the Titans Athletic Website that will keep fans one click away from all the action. This page will feature links for live stats (audio and video when applicable) as well as links for all the latest info while also making it easy to find the Titans on social media and to purchase game tickets. The Gameday Central page also carries all the information on each opponent from who is leading the all-time series to who won the last game.
 
Detroit sits at 4-5 in the Horizon League and 9-13 overall, while Youngstown State is at 16-7, 5-5 in the HL. The Titans are in fifth place at the moment in the league standings, but just a game and a half separates third place from eighth place.
 
UDM is coming off a big win at UIC as the red, white and blue downed the Flames, 76-68, giving Detroit the regular season sweep and a key win for tiebreaking purposes in the conference. Four Titans netted double figures in the win, led by senior Ellisha Crosby and freshman Darianne Seward's 19 points.
 
Youngstown State has dropped three of its last five, but did win its last time out racing past Oakland at home, 76-54. The Penguins are among the league leaders in total offense and scoring defense, led by Heidi Schlegel, who is in the top five in the conference in scoring (16.3) and rebounding (9.8).
 
The last time these two teams met, YSU had a 35-19 lead at the half, but the Titans started the second stanza on a 14-0 run and extended the spurt to 22-4 en route to a 59-58 victory.
 
The game is also part of National Girls and Women in Sports Day with special activities planned for girls ages 6-12 prior to the contest. That event as well as the game will be FREE and for more information and to sign up your girls, click here.
 
DETROIT VS. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Detroit will look for the regular season sweep of Youngstown State after defeating the Penguins on the road, 59-58, two weeks ago. UDM has now won two straight, three out of the last four and 10 of the last 13 against YSU.
 
The Titans are 14-3 all-time at home over the Penguins and have won the last six in the Motor City.
 
ABOUT THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State started the year at 10-0, but is 6-7 since, including 5-5 in the Horizon League.
 
YSU is led by senior Heidi Schlegel, who is top five in the Horizon League in scoring (16.3) and rebounding (9.8). She had 15 points with 15 rebounds in the last meeting.
 
Latisha Walker is tallying 10.7 ppg., and 7.0 rpg., while India Benjamin is posting 9.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and a team-high 3.5 assists.
 
The Penguins are averaging 70.4 points - second in the HL - while allowing 61.5 points, third in the conference.
 
LAST TIME VS. YSU
An incredible 22-4 run to start the second half propelled Detroit to erase a double-digit deficit as the Titans iced the Youngstown State Penguins, 59-58, at the Beeghly Center.
 
Three Titans scored in double figures led by redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds, who collected her fourth double-double of the season and fifth of her career with a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds, while dishing out a team-best seven assists.
 
The Titans trailed by 16 points at the break, 35-19, but started the second half on a 14-0 run. The offense woke up connecting on 7-of-12 from the field – after going just 7-of-33 in the first half alone – while the defense forced Youngstown State into missing its first 10 shots with four turnovers.
 
The Titans then led, 51-46, but the Penguins would knot it all up at 51-51 and again at 53-53, but Seward was able to find her way to the rim for a layup and a 55-53 lead at the 1:39 mark.
 
The Titans would never trail after that hitting some key free throws and not turning the ball over against a pressing defense.
 
Detroit shot 56.7 percent (17-of-30) in the second half and was 8-of-16 from behind the arc. UDM evened the rebounding total at 42-42, after trailing by five at the half, and also forced 10 turnovers, turning those into 14 key points.  Detroit's defense limited YSU to 6-of-25 (24.0%) in the second stanza and 1-of-12 (8.3%) from three-point range after the Penguins had eight from downtown in the opening frame.
 
HORIZON LEAGUE HISTORY
The Titans are 219-218 all-time in the Horizon League with the 219 victories the third most in league history trailing only Green Bay's 292 and former member Butler's 227.
 
UDM has won two regular season titles claiming the 1987 crown with a 10-2 record and the 1997 championship as senior Autumn Rademacher '97 led Detroit to a 14-2 mark. The Titans also won the conference tournament, advancing to their only NCAA Tournament.
 
Detroit is in its 35th season as a member of the HL and now stands as the eldest member in the conference by 14 years over Cleveland State, Green Bay, Milwaukee, UIC, and Wright State, who all joined in 1994 with the Titans entering in 1980.
 
4 IN DOUBLES
Detroit had four players score in double figures for the eighth time in its win at UIC. Ellisha Crosby and Darianne Seward netted 19 points apiece, while Rosanna Reynolds had 16 and Nicole Urbanick finished with 12.
 
Detroit is 5-3 on the year when it has four or more players in double figures.
 
A TRIPLE THREAT
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds has become one of the deadliest long-range shooters in the Horizon League.
 
She leads the HL - and is 80th in the country - in three-point field goals per game (2.33) as well as third in three-point field goal percentage (39.5%), 60th in the NCAA.
 
Reynolds has twice nailed seven 3-pointers in a game - one away from the school record of eight that Daphne Smith (8-of-11) had versus Butler on Jan. 10, 1987.
 
She had seven treys (7-of-10) in a 33-point outburst at IPFW on Dec. 2 and also had seven (7-of-12) in a 26-point effort at Toledo.
 
Reynolds has at least one 3-pointer in 20 of the Titans' 22 games on the year - only at Cincinnati and at Cleveland State did she not have one - and has 51 triples, a new career high passing the 25 she had as a freshman in 34 games in 2012-13.
 
In fact, 51 of her 125 total field goals (40.8%) on the year are from three.
 
MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME
Senior Ellisha Crosby missed four straight games with an injury, but she has returned to the court and has not missed a beat.
 
Since her return eight games ago, Crosby is averaging 16.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 48.6 percent (52-of-107) from the field.
 
She came back in a big way with a team-high 24 points at Wright State on Jan. 10, matching her season high and the fifth time in her career that she has reached 20+ points.
 
SEWARD NETS FRESHMAN RECORD
Darianne Seward is making her case for the Horizon League Freshman of the Year after tying for the team lead with 19 points in a huge road win at UIC.
 
Prior to that, Seward scored a season-best 28 points - her first career 20-point performance - on 10-of-15 shooting and 5-of-7 from three-point territory against Valparaiso.
 
She came into that game with just three triples on the season, but surpassed that with four in the first-half alone.
 
The 28 points was the highest-scoring game by a true freshman guard in school history and the highest by a true freshman since 2012.
 
In the season opener, she tallied 19 points at Michigan, the most by a true freshman in a season opener since the 2011-12 season and the most by a true freshman guard since Titan Hall-Of-Famer and school's all-time leading scorer Cassandra Pack had 23 at home against Bowling Green to open the 1983-84 campaign. 
 
MOVING FORWARD
The Titans have already posted more overall wins (6) and conference victories (3) than last season, recorded four road victories to last season's zero, and won a Horizon League game on the road against Youngstown State, which ended a 15-game conference road slide.
 
DARIANNE FOR 3
Freshman Darianne Seward was 3-of-26 from behind the arc in the first 20 games, but has found her stroke from downtown knocking in 7-of-9 in the last two games, including 5-of-7 against Valparaiso.
 
TRIPLE TRY
Detroit had its 11th game of the year with eight or more 3-pointers draining eight at UIC its last time out.
 
KEEPING THE BALL
The Titans are averaging just 13.0 turnovers per game, second in the Horizon League - and 23rd in the nation - behind Wright State's 12.9.
 
Detroit has turned it over 10 or fewer times in six games this year.
 
PLAYING SMART
The Titans have done two things great this season that have been keys in their wins and keeping them in games.
 
Besides ranking second in the league with just 13.0 turnovers per game, UDM is also first in the Horizon League and 35th in the nation averaging just 15.1 personal fouls per game.
 
Since UDM does a great job at not picking up any extra whistles, they have limited teams to an HL-best 343 free throw attempts. Next up is Wright State at 375 free throws allowed.
 
GETTING TO 70
The Titans are 57-20 when they score 70 or more points as well as 21-5 when they score 80 or more under head coach Autumn Rademacher '97. UDM has also eclipsed 90 seven times under Coach Rad, with a season-high 96 against Eastern Michigan last year.
 
LOW SCORING WIN
The Titans normally are unbeatable when scoring 70 or more, but their come-from-behind win at Youngstown State on Jan. 29 featured great defense in a 59-58 victory.
 
In fact, the win was the first when scoring less than 60 points since a 48-42 triumph at Valparaiso on Mar. 3, 2012.
 
STEAL THE BACON
Detroit tallied a season-high 11 steals for the second time this season against Valparaiso on Feb. 5, tying the mark it posted against Oakland on Jan. 22.
 
Detroit has also recorded 10 steals at Cleveland State and against UIC, Madonna and Marygrove.
 
STRONG DEFENSE
The Titans have played some tough defense this season, holding teams to just 67.1 points per game, down from last year's 80.5 ppg.
 
UDM has held five opponents to 60 or less on the season and twice to under 50.

Below are some stats from the defense.
 
vs. Marygrove
Detroit had one of its best defensive games in school history in defeating Marygrove, 88-46, in the home opener on Nov. 16. The 46 points allowed were the fewest since Detroit downed Youngstown State at home, 62-48, during the 2012-13 campaign. The 25.0% (16-of-64) shooting by Marygrove was the lowest UDM has held a team since Milwaukee's 22.8% on Mar. 2, 2013.
 
at IPFW
Detroit held IPFW to just 29.7% shooting, including 28.5% (12-of-42) in the second half and overtime and 16.7% (2-of-12) in the extra session alone, while limiting Madonna to 29.4% (15-of-51). The 15 made field goals by Madonna were the fewest by an opponent since Youngstown State had just 15 in that 62-48 win.
 
at Toledo
Against Toledo, the Titans held an offensive Rockets team to 32.5% (26-of-80) overall and 27.5% (11-of-40) from three, while Delaware State shot just 37.7% (21-of-56) and 1-of-15 from distance. 
 
vs. Oakland
In their home win over Oakland, the Titans held the Golden Grizzlies - a team in the top four in the HL in offense - to 37.5 percent shooting, including just 6-for-25 (24.0%) with four turnovers in the final 14:31. The defense allowed Detroit to end the game on a 37-16 run, eliminating a 10-point deficit and cruising to an 11-point victory.
 
at Youngstown State
It looked like a game the Penguins would run away with leading 35-19 at the half, but Detroit forced Youngstown State - a team in the top three in offense in the HL - into missing its first 10 shots with four turnovers in the first 8:20 of the second stanza as the Titans used runs of 14-0 and 22-4 to take the lead. The final numbers showed that UDM's defense limited YSU to 6-of-25 (24.0%) in the second half and 1-of-12 (8.3%) from three-point range after the Penguins had eight from downtown in the opening frame.
 
GOOD DECISIONS
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds and sophomore Haleigh Ristovski are both among the most trustworthy ball handlers in the HL.
 
Ristovski tops the league - and is 28h in the nation - with a 2.40 assist-to-turnover ratio (72 A, 30 TO). As a freshman, Ristovski recorded a 2.7 mark (47 A, 17 TO) last season.
 
Meanwhile, Reynolds leads the Horizon League - and is 22nd in the nation - with a 2.38 assist-to-turnover ratio (75 A, 32 TO).
 
ALL-AROUND GAME
Sophomore Haleigh Ristovski continues to show her full basketball skills this season on both ends of the floor.
 
She might not be the typical frontcourt player, but she has grabbed at least eight rebounds in 13 of UDM's 22 games, including five with 10 or more. She also has four double-doubles on the season - tied for the team lead - and tied her career high with 20 points and 12-rebounds at Eastern Michigan.
 
Ristovski had 13 points and 10 rebounds at Toledo, 13 points and 11 rebounds at IPFW and 20 points and 12 caroms versus Madonna.
 
Her game against Madonna also saw her post nearly a triple-double as she handed out a career-high six assists.
 
She has recorded at least five assists six times this year and is second on the team and 10th in the Horizon League at 3.3 per game.
 
Ristovski has also scored in double figures seven times this season and is fourth on the team - and 24th in the HL - in scoring at 9.5 ppg., as well as leading the team and ranking seventh in the conference in rebounding at 7.6 per contest.
 
MORE THAN JUST SCORE
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds has done more than just score on the season.
 
She has recorded five assists or more in seven games - including a season-high eight against Valparaiso and that followed seven at Youngstown State.
 
She currently leads the team and is ninth in the Horizon League in assists at 3.4 per game.
 
Reynolds has pulled down five or more rebounds in 10 games and is third on the squad crashing the boards at 5.0 per night.
 
She also has four double-doubles - tied for the team lead - with 19 points and 11 rebounds at Youngstown State, 33 points and 11 rebounds at IPFW, 19 points and 10 boards at Eastern Michigan and 27 points and 11 boards against Oakland.
 
LITTLE D BRINGS BIG O
Freshman Darianne Seward continues to be a force on offense recording her 16th game in double figures with 19 points at UIC.
 
Prior to that, she had her first collegiate 20-point game with a game-high 28 points against Valparaiso as she was 10-of-15 from the field with five 3-pointers.
 
Her previous high was 19 at Michigan and against Western Michigan.
 
The three-time HL Freshman of the Week is currently third on the team in scoring and 14th in the Horizon League at 12.1 ppg., the second highest freshman average in the HL behind Valparaiso's Dani Franklin's 13.1
 
ELLICIOUS
Senior Ellisha Crosby is coming off her 12th-straight game in double figures as she tallied 19 points in the win at UIC. 
 
Before the injury against Delaware State, she was beginning to find her offensive rhythm with four-straight games in double figures. She then sat out four games before returning in HL play at Wright State. where she tied her season high with 24 points.
 
Against Toledo in early December, she posted 24 points and was tabbed the Glass City Classic Tournament MVP after tallying 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and shooting 46.7 percent from the field in the two games against SEMO and the host Rockets.
 
Crosby started the weekend event with her first double-double of the year and the sixth of her career with 13 points and a season-high 10 rebounds against the Redhawks.
 
She now has 26 double-digit scoring games in her 30 career Division I contests, and in her Titan career, Crosby is tallying 15.3 ppg., including 13.8 ppg., this year, 10th in the HL.
 
OH MY ROSIE
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds posted her 18th double-digit scoring effort on the year with 16 points in the win at UIC.
 
Prior to that, she totaled 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds at Youngstown State and recorded a game-high 27 points in the win over Oakland. It was her fifth career game with 20 or more - and fourth this season - capitalized by her career-high 33 points at IPFW on Dec. 2, where she was a career-best 11-of-18 from the field with seven 3-pointers. She became just the 18th Titan in school history to score 30 or more in a game, with the 33 points the most since teammate Ellisha Crosby had 33 against EMU last season.
 
Reynolds had a game-high 26 points at Toledo on Dec. 14 going 8-of-15 from the field with seven more treys and also netted a game-high with 22 versus Delaware State on Dec. 18.
 
On the year, she is currently leading the team and is sixth in the HL with 15.9 ppg.
 
URBANICK ON THE MARK
Freshman Nicole Urbanick missed four games with an injury, but just like senior teammate Ellisha Crosby, she has come back very strong.
 
Since her return five games ago, she is averaging 8.2 points, while shooting 15-of-32 (46.9%) from the field and 9-of-22 (40.9%) from three.
 
She just tied her season high for the third time this season with 12 points at UIC. She also had 12 points and nailed a season-best four 3-pointers against Green Bay and 12 versus Madonna.
 
Urbanick now has six double-digit scoring efforts on the season .
 
She has also been a three-point specialist for the Titans hitting 23-of-71 from downtown.
 
Nine of her last 13 buckets have been 3-pointers as have 23 of her 41 baskets on the year.
 
NEVER GIVE UP
The Titans have come away with two conference wins the hard way - making up a double-digit deficit in the second half.
 
UDM erased a 10-point Oakland lead to post a 73-62 victory over the Golden Grizzlies on Jan. 22. The Titans trailed, 46-36, with 14:39 left before going on a 12-0 run to take the lead.
 
Against Youngstown State on Jan. 28, Detroit was down by 16, 35-19, coming out of the half, but a 14-0 spurt to start the second half and a 22-4 total run propelled the red, white and blue to victory.
 
The 16-point comeback was the largest on the season and the most since coming from a 17-point first-half score of 32-15 last year in an 81-79 home triumph over Valparaiso.
 
BOMBS AWAYS IN RECORD FASHION
The Titans connected on 15, 3-pointers at Toledo on Dec. 14, breaking the school mark of 13 at Butler on Jan. 30, 1999.
 
UDM finished the game 15-for-32 from three, including 12-of-21 in the first half alone.
 
The game was one of six on the season that has seen Detroit make 10 or more threes in a contest (15 at Toledo, 11 at IPFW, 10 vs. Madonna, 12 vs. Green Bay, 10 vs. Valparaiso), while the 33 three-point attempts tied a school record with the 33 UDM had against Ball State last season.
 
THE 5-4 CLUB
Sophomore Minisha Frederick-Childress and freshman Darianne Seward are both 5-4, but both have done their share of rebounding.
 
Seward is fourth on the squad with 3.9 rpg., while Frederick-Childress is fifth on the team in rebounding at 3.0 rpg.
 
WINNING NUMBERS
The Titans will be on the prowl for these lucky numbers.
 
Detroit is 5-0 in games where redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds scores 20 or more points.
 
UDM is also 7-0 when leading with five minutes left and 7-1 when having the lead with 10 minutes to go.
 
CANADIAN IMPACT
Senior Brie Wilcox received her most extensive court time of the season playing 32 minutes off the bench at Eastern Michigan on Dec. 30 and came right back with 26 minutes against Milwaukee.
 
The London, Ontario, native has made the most of her time netting a career-high 12 points with two rebounds and two blocks versus the Panthers.
Against EMU, she tied her career high with four blocks and totaled five points, five rebounds, and two assists.
 
STEVENS PITCHING IN
Junior Lariah Stevens had one of her best games of the season ending with seven points and four rebounds with an assist in 19 minutes of court action in the win over UIC on Jan. 15.
 
The seven points was the second most for her on the year behind the 10 she netted against Marygrove, while it was the third time this season she has pulled down four rebounds in a contest.