Box Score (in pdf)

Despite a hard fought battle, the Detroit Titans women's basketball team came up short in Autumn Rademacher's head coaching debut, as Cincinnati claimed a 66-59 victory at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH, Friday night in both team's season opener.

 
UDM senior guard Zemora Davis (Detroit, MI/Community), who ended with a team-high 17 points, netted the first basket of the game, which was answered by a 3-pointer from UC junior Shelly Bellman. This was a precursor to the first half as there were 11 lead changes between both squads.

 
Freshman guard Lauren Allen (Rochester Hills, MI/Rochester) sank her first career basket from long range to give the Titans a three-point advantage just five minutes into the contest. Junior forward Brigid Mulroy (West Bloomfield, MI/Marian) gave the Titans their largest lead of the night after netting one from long range to put the score at 18-14 with 4:39 showing on the clock. The Bearcats responded and went into the break with a 24-23 lead.    

 
Some costly turnovers hurt the Titans early in the second stanza which led to UC taking an 11-point lead after senior Jill Stephens scored a 2-pointer to put the score at 55-44 at the 4:08 mark.

 
Detroit did not back down as Mulroy stole the ball and handed it off to freshman Jalesa Jones (Detroit, MI/Detroit Pershing) who was successful on her lay-up attempt to pull the Titans within seven (55-48) at 3:26. Junior forward Heather Hatter (Howell, MI/Howell) capped off Detroit's 7-0 scoring run after making her second attempt at the line (1:05) and six seconds later Davis made one of her attempts at the line to pull UDM within four (56-52). But, in the closing minute, UC made 10 of its 12 attempts at the line to help secure the victory for the Bearcats.

 
Jones and Allen ended their first collegiate game with seven rebounds each to lead the Titans, while Mulroy and Jones each scored in double figures with 11 and 10 respectively.

 
Bellman led all scorers with 18 and both she and junior teammate Michelle Jones'each grabbed eight caroms for the Bearcats.

 
Detroit shot 39 percent on the night (21-of-54), while UC had a 23-of-60 showing from the field. The Titans won the battle of the boards, 40-33, but the Bearcats ended with 18 turnovers to Detroit's 30.

 
The Titans will return to action when they face Michigan State in East Lansing on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.

 -Detroit Titans-