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CLEVELAND -- The Detroit defense held Cleveland State to just 25% shooting as the Titans came away with a 50-43 win at the Wolstein Center on Saturday afternoon.

Freshman Shareta Brown (Pontiac, MI/Grand Blanc) led the way with 20 points and eight rebounds, while junior Yar Shayok (Ottawa, ON/Hillcrest) tallied a season-high 14 points and six boards off the bench.

The suffocating Detroit (10-11, 6-3 HL) defense forced Cleveland State (8-12, 3-6 HL) into a 13-of-52 performance from the field and just a 3-of-18 effort from three-point range. The 13 field goals were the fewest by from a Titan opponent since Marygrove had 11 in a 68-27 win last season. The Titans also outrebounded the Vikings, 42-32, and forced 13 turnovers.

Detroit was down, 23-21, at the 15:32 mark in the second half when UDM scored six-straight points to take the lead for good. Cleveland State would get back to within one twice, the latest at 34-33, with 7:40 remaining, but the Titans held strong and went on an 8-0 run to open a nine-point lead. Senior Jalesa Jones (Detroit, MI/Pershing) started that spurt with a layup and then Brown and Shayok followed with baskets of their own. Brown then nailed two free throws with 4:12 left to put the Titans up, 42-33.

After a free throw by CSU, Brown got inside again for another bucket and the red, white and blue had its largest lead of the contest, 44-34, with 2:52 left. The Titans then let the Vikings back in the game after key missed free throws in the next two minutes as CSU cut the Titan lead down to three, 45-42, but sophomore Senee Shearer (Detroit, MI/Pershing) and Brown each connected on a pair in the last 15 seconds of play to seal the victory.

Jones ended the contest with three points, three steals, seven rebounds and three assists. The three helpers moved her pass Jocelyn Boyd for second place all-time in school history with 453. She is now just 34 away from the Titan record.

Senior Lauren Allen (Rochester Hills, MI/Rochester) pulled down a season-high eight rebounds and handed out a team-best four assists, while sophomore Megan Hatter (Howell, MI/Howell) ended the game with five points and two rebounds.

It was a defensive battle right from the start as both teams shot less than 30% from the field and combined for 17 turnovers taking a 17-17 game into the locker room. UDM held the Vikings to just 5-of-24 (20.8%) from the field and 0-of-10 from behind the arc, but the Titans were only 6-of-22 (27.3%) themselves in the first half.

Each team led three times in the opening stanza and there were four ties. UDM's largest lead was at 15-11 after scoring five-straight points. Shayok got inside for a jumper and then Hatter hit the Titans' only 3-pointer of the game with 6:05 left in the first period.

The Titans will now return home for a pair of games starting with Loyola on Thursday. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m., at Calihan Hall. UDM will then host UIC on Saturday on National Girls & Women In Sport Day, with free tickets to all fans and a free program highlighting female athletics starting at 11:00 a.m. For more information on that, click here.

Game Notes:
Detroit now leads the overall series, 32-11, and ended a four-game road losing streak to Cleveland State… The 50 points were the fewest the Titans have recorded in a win since they defeated Loyola, 49-34, at home on Feb. 12, 2005... It was also the fewest points allowed this season and against a Division I school since a 52-43 triumph over Youngstown State last year…The Titans held Cleveland State to 17 first-half points, the third time this season they have held an opponent under 20 and tying the lowest it has allowed all year with the 17 Milwaukee scored in the second half... It was the eighth time this year that an opponent has made less than five 3-pointers…Detroit attempted a season-low five 3-pointers…Detroit outscored CSU, 24-12, in the paint and 13-4 off turnovers…The 29 combined field goals were the lowest in a game this season…It was the sixth time this season that Brown had 20 or more in a game.