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DETROIT (11/23/2013) -- Senior Megan Hatter recorded her first career double-double and classmate Senee Shearer tallied 28 points, but the Titans just could not complete the comeback as the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team fell to Ball State, 80-74, on Saturday morning in Calihan Hall.

The game tipped off at 11:00 a.m., on Dick Vitale Court due to the men hosting the 2K Sports Classic benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project.

Shearer was 9-of-20 from the field and tied her career high with six 3-pointers, while playing all 40 minutes. Hatter posted a season-high 14 points and a career-best 11 rebounds in just 27 minutes, and junior Ellisha Crosby collected her third double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 boards.

Detroit (1-5) was behind by 14, Ball State's (1-3) largest lead of the game, 50-36, with 17:07 left when the Titans began to peck away at the Cardinals. First was a 10-2 spurt over the next four minutes that started with a three-point play from freshman Lizzy Connors and two-straight baskets by Hatter cut that deficit to eight, 51-43, with 13:20 left in the game. Hatter then nailed a trifecta to get the red, white and blue within six, 52-46, with 12:59 left.

UDM would creep closer as back-to-back scores from Hatter and Shearer had UDM down by just five, 60-55, at the 9:35 mark, and then freshman Reyna Montgomery found a cutting Crosby to make it a 63-59 game. The red-hot Hatter – who had all 14 points all in the second half – put in another 3-pointer to get UDM back to one, 63-62, with 7:45 left, but that was as close as the red, white and blue would get even through the Titans had three-straight possessions to take the lead.

BSU would run its lead back to as many as six but the Titans took it down to just two, three times, including at 76-74 off a trey by Shearer with 1:22 remaining. UDM would force a turnover with less than a minute to go, but Shearer's jumper against some tough Cardinals' defense with 25 seconds left did not fall.

Crosby tied her season high with four assists and had a pair of steals. Sophomore DaVonna Bradford netted four points and pulled down a career-best eight rebounds in 15 minutes of court time, while freshman Megan Galloway totaled four points, a season-high seven caroms and three assists.

The Titans got off to a slow start as Ball State raced out to a 13-3 lead. Crosby got UDM on the board with a 3-pointer and then a trey by Shearer followed to make it 13-6 at the 15:29 mark.

That three ignited a 16-4 run as the Titans jumped on top, 19-17, with 8:24 left in the half. Shearer and Crosby started it with a pair of free throws and off a strong rebound from Galloway, freshman Reyna Montgomery was able to dive to the hole for a basket to cut it to 16-12.

Shearer then drained her second long ball off the contest to make it a one-point game and after a BSU bucket, Shearer connected on a jump shot and Detroit took the lead on Bradford's layup.

Ball State jumped back in front, but Shearer – who had 17 first-half points – went to the line for two more free throws and then she went to the rim for another score and a 23-20 advantage with seven minutes left.

The Cardinals were able to regain the lead, but Detroit stayed right in the game as Bradford, Montgomery and freshman Haleigh Ristovski all had baskets with UDM trailing at the half, 44-33.

UDM set a school record with 33 three-point attempts and made a season-high 10 on the day. Detroit was also 16-of-20 at the free throw line and outrebounded the Cardinals, 43-40, in the contest, including 15 offensive rebounds.

The Titans return to action over the holiday break as Detroit takes a flight to the Sunshine State to play in Florida Atlantic's Thanksgiving Tournament. UDM will open with Rhode Island on Friday and will then either take on host FAU or Georgia Southern on Saturday.

Game Notes:
The series is now tied at 3-3… This was the second-year in a row the Titans have played a game before noon as they faced IPFW on the road last season in an 11:30 a.m., tip… Hatter's previous career highs were 16 points done twice and nine rebounds on three occasions… Shearer had a career-high 29 last week at Western Michigan… Shearer also had six 3-pointers against Youngstown State in 2012… Bradford had just 11 career rebounds coming into the game… Detroit's record for three-point attempts was 31 set at Ball State last season and in this year's season opener at Canisius… Ristovski and Montgomery both made their first collegiate start today.

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