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DETROIT -- In a game that had the intensity of a Horizon League Tournament match-up, the Detroit women's basketball team moved back into second place with a thrilling 62-57 overtime victory over UIC on Saturday from Dick Vitale Court in Calihan Hall.

Sophomore Senee Shearer (Detroit, MI/Pershing) had a game-high 22 points, including tying her career best with five 3-pointers. Freshman Shareta Brown (Pontiac, MI/Grand Blanc) had 16 points and six rebounds, while senior Jalesa Jones (Detroit, MI/Pershing) tallied six points and a game-high eight assists, while playing all 45 minutes.

The win moved UDM to 12-11 on the year and 8-3 in the Horizon League. That coupled with Wright State's loss to Loyola ascended the Titans to second place. UIC fell to 13-9, 6-5 in the HL.

Detroit never trailed in overtime as Brown put the Titans up for good with a layup one minute into the extra session. Jones then hit two free throws and UDM was up by four before a UIC basket – its first field goal since the 3:55 mark of the second half – cut the lead in half with 1:34 left.

That was when the Titans put the game away as Jones hit a basket and Shearer connected on a pair of free throws with under 30 seconds left to give the red, white and blue a 61-55 lead and eventually closing out the game for the win.

Along with her fifth 20-point game of the season, Shearer had four steals, two rebounds and two assists. Senior Lauren Allen (Rochester Hills, MI/Rochester) had eight points, six boards and three assists, while junior Yar Shayok (Ottawa, ON/Hillcrest) recorded six points, five rebounds and three steals.

The Titans started their comeback attempt right from the start of the second half as their scored the first six points, the last four from Brown inside. UIC pushed its lead back to five, 40-35, but Detroit regained the lead briefly, 43-41, with back-to-back 3-pointers from Shearer with 13:50 left.

The Flames jumped right back in front with five points of their own, but Shearer would not allow the red, white and blue to go away. First she tied her career-high with her fifth trey of the game and then she tallied the old fashioned three-point play as UDM regained the lead, 49-46, at the 9:08 mark.

The lead would flip back and forth several times in the last nine minutes, but after Brown hit a layup to give the Titans a 53-52 advantage with 2:13 left, UIC had a free throw and the game was tied at 53 heading into overtime. Detroit played some great defense in the final minute and got the ball back with 20 seconds on the clock, but could not get the potential game-winning shot.

The Titans jumped out to a fast start as Allen hit a two-point basket and Shearer came back to nail a 3-pointer in the opening minutes. Detroit later extended its lead to 10-4 as Shearer found sophomore Megan Hatter (Howell, MI/Howell) inside and she finished with a layup.

UIC started its charge after that knotting it at 14-all. From there, each team had battled back-and-forth until the game was tied at 27-all with 5:31 left in the first half. That is when the Flames ran off seven-straight points and ended the half on a 9-2 run to take a 36-29 lead into the break.

Detroit ended the game shooting 46.9% from the field, while UIC shot 41.1%, but the Flames were just 9-of-28 (32.1%) combined in the second half and overtime after going 14-of-28 in the first stanza.

The Titans will now hit the road for three-straight games starting with a trip to Wisconsin. UDM will face nationally-ranked Green Bay on Thursday at 8:00 p.m., (EST) before tangling with Milwaukee on Saturday.

Game Notes:
Detroit evened the season series with UIC and ended a three-game losing streak to the Flames…13 of Shearer's last 16 field goals have been 3-pointers…The Titans had 15 second-chance points compared to five for UIC…Jones is now 18 assists away from the school record of 486, held by Mary Lillie (1978-82)…Shearer also had five 3-pointers against Michigan…UIC's 17-second half points marked the fourth time this season an opponent has scored less than 20 points in a half, and the third time it has been 17 points…It was the Titans second overtime game of the season as UDM defeated Eastern Michigan at home, 70-69, in December…Prior to the game, the Titans held its annual National Girls & Women in Sport Day celebration.