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YPSILANTI, Mich. (11/18/2012) – Sophomore Shareta Brown poured in a career-high 34 points as the Detroit women's basketball team held off a pesky Eastern Michigan squad, 61-54, on the road Sunday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

The win was the third straight by the Titans over their in-state rival as they moved to 2-1 on the year, while EMU fell to 1-2.

For Brown, it was her 16th career game of 20 or more and her third career 30-point contest as the second-year forward was 13-of-21 from the field and 8-of-10 at the free throw line. Her 13 field goals were also a career best, and she was one of three Titans to record seven rebounds on the day.

"Shareta was unbelievable and she played 34 minutes and was able to play strong for 34 minutes," said head coach Autumn Rademacher. "For her to push through the fatigue and do what she did and improve her game at the free throw line from last game was great. It is a heavyweight fight for her every game and she always draws the team's best defender."

Sophomore Audrey Matteson was in double figures for the third-straight game with 11 points, while senior Demeisha Fambro came off the bench to tally seven points and seven rebounds.

Just like the first half, UDM got off to a quick start in the second as Brown had Detroit's first five points in the stanza, but it was a trey by Matteson that gave the Titans a 43-32 lead nearly five minutes into the period.

Eastern Michigan then limited Detroit to just two points in the next seven minutes as the Eagles trimmed a one-time 13-point, first-half lead and an 11-point second-half advantage down to just two, 45-43, with 8:58 left.

That was when Brown had the defense collapse on her and found Fambro streaking to the basket for a layup and a free throw as her three-point play ended an 11-2 EMU run.

From that point, the red, white and blue slowly built its lead back up as Brown had eight of the Titans final 11 points to seal the win. Her career-high basket came as she followed her own miss at the line by grabbing the rebound and laying it back in to give UDM a 56-47 lead with 2:22 left.

Senior Yar Shayok had four points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while freshman Rosanna Reynolds totaled three points, two boards, and a team-high four assists. Matteson and junior Megan Hatter also added five rebounds apiece.

The Titans shot 43.1% for the game, while holding the home team to 38.2%, including just 10-of-31 in the second half. The Titans also won the rebounding battle for the third-straight game, 36-34.

"Defenses are going to key on boxing out Yar and Shareta and the fact that we have other people hanging around the basket, willing to fight for that rebound gives us second-chance opportunities," added Coach Rademacher."

After an opening basket by Eastern Michigan to start the game, the Titans went on a 13-2 run to take a lead they would never relinquish. Reynolds and Matteson hit back-to-back three's and then off a steal, Matteson converted a layup to give UDM an 8-2 lead. Brown then struck for five of her first-half 17 points to put UDM out in front, 13-4.

The Titans raised their lead to double digits and as high as 13, 25-12, with 9:14 remaining in the half, but EMU would cut into that as the red, white and blue had 10 first-half turnovers and led by just five at the break, 35-30.

"We talked about having a great start anywhere we are playing," said Coach Rademacher. "At Michigan, we started a bit slow and not aggressive and we need to stick to our game plan and not have external factors really bother us on the road, and we did that today."

The Titans will now prepare for a Holiday trip to California, but it will be all business as Detroit plays in the Radisson Hotel Chatsworth Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament at Cal State Northridge. UDM will open the two-day event against nationally-ranked Penn State on Friday at 5:30 p.m. (ET)

Notes:
Two of the last three games between the two teams went into overtime as Detroit now leads the all-time series, 14-8…Detroit is now 7-3 in its last 10 games against the MAC…Brown's prior career high was 31 last year at Loyola, while she also had 30 in the HL semifinals win over Wright State…Shayok now has 88 career blocks, just one away from tying Lydia Johnson (1978-80) for the sixth most in school history.