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Postgame Press Conference

DETROIT -- Behind sophomore Cherridy Thornton's (Detroit, MI/Frank Cody Senior) game and career-high 25 points, the Detroit Titans advanced to the Horizon League tournament's quarterfinals with a come-from-behind 57-50 victory over Valparaiso on Monday night at Calihan Hall.

The seventh-seeded Titans (13-17, 6-12 HL) will now face No. 2 Butler in Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Thornton had a career day from the field as she ended the night 9-of-16, including 6-of-11 from three-point range. She also grabbed six rebounds and had three assists and three steals.

After shooting just 24 percent in the first half (7-of-29), the Titans began the second period with two turnovers and two missed free throws as Valparaiso (7-24, 4-14 HL) opened its largest lead of the game, 35-24, at the 17:52 mark.

UDM then took control with a 25-6 run over the next nine minutes to jump out in front, 49-41. Detroit hit 10-of-15 field goals in the span, and Thornton led the way with 14 points on four triples and a layup. The Titan defense did their part too holding the Crusaders to just 3-of-10 shooting and causing three turnovers as the red, white and blue took control of the game.

The Titans would eventually push the lead to nine, 52-43, the largest of the game on junior Lauren Allen's (Rochester Hills, MI/Rochester) 3-pointer with 5:13 left. Valparaiso would trim the lead to four, 54-50, with just over a minute to go, but once again the defense came up big holding the opposition scoreless for the final 1:15 to earn the victory.

Sophomores Dominique Dixon (Detroit, MI/Renaissance) added 15 points and tied her career high with eight boards. Allen had seven points, six rebounds and two steals, while junior Jalesa Jones (Detroit, MI/Pershing) finished with six points, three boards and three helpers.

Detroit shot 59.1 percent in the second half (13-of-22), as well as five of its 10 three-point attempts. The Titans also outrebounded the Crusaders, 41-33.

The Titans will now head back to Indianapolis to face the Bulldogs, a team that UDM split with during the regular season. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m., at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Game Notes:
This was the first time these two schools met in the Horizon League tournament as Valpo joined the league in 2007…Thornton's three in the first half ended an 0-for-20 slide for the Titans from three-point range against Valparaiso…Thornton's previous career high was 20 points set three times this year (vs. Ball State, at Milwaukee, at Loyola)…Her previous career mark for field goals was seven against Ball State and at Loyola, while her high watermark in 3-pointers was five against Cleveland State and Valparaiso this season…UDM was 13-of-22 from the field in the second half, quite a difference from its 5-of-32 effort in a loss at Valparaiso the last time these teams met…Detroit won a home HL tournament game for the third-straight year and is undefeated at home in the postseason under head coach Autumn Rademacher.