GAMEDAY CENTRAL         Game Notes        WBI Bracket

DETROIT (3/23/2013) -- March Madness is alive and well in Calihan Hall and after a thrilling victory in the first round, the Detroit women's basketball team will look to keep its title hopes alive when the top-seeded Titans host the fifth-seeded College of Charleston in the quarterfinals of the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) on Sunday. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m., in Calihan Hall.

There will be live stats for this contest, but it WILL NOT be carried on the Horizon League Network. Titan fans can follow every UDM game this season through the women's basketball GAMEDAY CENTRAL page located on the Titans Athletic Website that will keep fans one click away from all the action. This page will feature links for live stats (audio and video when applicable) as well as links for all the latest info while also making it easy to find the Titans on social media and to purchase photos and game tickets.

Detroit (18-13) won its 18th game of the season on Thursday by besting Belmont, 71-68. It was a game of runs as UDM opened a 33-14 first-half lead only to see the Bruins come back and a take a six-point, 57-51, advantage in the second half. The Titans eventually surged ahead thanks to sophomore Shareta Brown's school record seventh 30-point game.

A win and the Titans would advance to the semifinals of the postseason tournament and give them a record 14th win at home.

The College of Charleston is 16-15 on the season and is coming off a 72-70 road victory against fourth-seeded Northern Kentucky on Wednesday in the first round of the WBI. The Cougars were 11-9 in the Southern Conference - finishing fifth - and fell in their conference tournament quarterfinals. CofC has been hot of late, winning eight of its last 11 games.

Latisha Harris is the team's leading scorer (12.9) and rebounder (8.5) as well as the squad's top shot blocker (36). Alyssa Frye is averaging 12.6 ppg., and has hit 92 three's on the season, while Cathryn Hardy is tallying 7.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

As a team, the Cougars are averaging 62.2 ppg., and giving up 62.8.

The winner of the game will face the victor of the No. 2 Penn-No. 3 Fairfield match-up, and if the Titans come away with the victory, that contest would be on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., at Calihan Hall.

If the Titans move on to the championship, they would host that too next Saturday, Mar. 30, at 2:00 p.m.

THE DETROIT-COFC SERIES
Just like its first round match-up against Belmont, the Titans have never faced the College of Charleston.

ABOUT THE WBI
Run by Sport Tours International, the Women's Basketball Invitational is in its fourth season and provides a choice for postseason worthy Division I Women's teams who wish to continue their season, but who do not qualify for the NCAA tournament. The 16 team event will take place over two weeks with all games being played on campus sites.

Notable teams that have participated in the past have been Louisville, Memphis, Minnesota, Washington and two Horizon League teams in Wright State (2011, 2012) and Cleveland State (2011).

Winners in the past have included Appalachian State in 2010, UAB in 2011 and Minnesota last season.

In business since 1980, Sport Tours International is a leader in arranging tours for sports teams from United States and countries around the world. Sport Tours International produces college basketball tournaments in San Juan, Daytona Beach, the Bahamas and Las Vegas. In addition, it arranges training trips for swimming teams to the Caribbean and Costa Rica and host two women's lacrosse spring break training events in San Antonio and Scottsdale.

WE'RE #1
Detroit received the No. 1 seed in the East region of the WBI and with the top spot, UDM will host all of its' games.

A further look at the schedule if the Titans keep winning would have UDM hosting the semifinals on Wednesday, Mar. 27 at 7 p.m.

Also by virtue of the No. 1 seeded Mercer Bears in the West Region losing, the red, white and blue will also host the championship game on Saturday, Mar. 30, at 2 p.m., if the Titans can advance that far.

TITAN POSTSEASON HISTORY
Since the NCAA started sponsoring women's basketball in 1981, Detroit has made three postseason tournaments. Detroit made the 1997 NCAA Tournament and was in the WNIT last season.

Prior to that, Detroit competed in the State Small College, State Large College, Region 5 and the AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) Tournament's between 1977-1981.

Detroit captured three state titles from 1979-81 and took part in the AIAW National Tournament in 1981.

At the time, the AIAW National Tournament was the big tournament of the day.

ALL-TIME POSTSEASON RECORD
Counting the early days of the state tournaments, the Titans are 17-7 all-time in the postseason.

UDM's first round win in the WBI was the first in the postseason since it beat Ohio State, 54-49, in the Region 5 Tournament in 1981

BONUS BASKETBALL IN DETROIT
With the men winning the Horizon League and advancing to the NCAA Tournament last year, it marks just the second time in school history that both the men and women will be playing postseason basketball since the NCAA officially added women's athletics in 1981.

The men were selected to play in the NIT and fell at Arizona State on Wednesday.

Also, fans of the hardwood had plenty to choose from this weekend as the NCAA men's basketball 2nd and 3rd rounds were held at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

AGAINST THE SOCON
Detroit has played just two career games against current members of the Southern Conference and both of those have come against Western Carolina.

The Titans and Catamounts split a pair of games with UDM winning at home, 75-72, in 2005, and WCU taking an 85-65 triumph in 2007.

VS. THE PALMETTO STATE
The Titans have not seen much action against teams from South Carolina as the match-up with the College of Charleston will be just the fifth career meeting between UDM and a school from the Palmetto State.

UDM split a pair of games against Western Carolina, while falling to South Carolina and Clemson.

BACK-TO-BACK WINNING SEASONS
Detroit is 18-13 on the year and has clinched its second straight winning season.

The Titans posted their first 20-win season since 1997 last year and now have back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2001 (17-12) and 2002 (16-14).

This season also marks the first time since 1995-96 (19-8) and 1996-97 (23-7) that Detroit has recorded at least 18 wins in back-to-back years.

Under Coach Rademacher, UDM has had two winning seasons in the last three years after having just one in its previous seven.

A RUDE HOST
UDM is 13-1 at home this season - averaging 76.9 ppg - with a +18.0 scoring margin. Detroit saw its 15-game home winning streak snapped against nationally-ranked Green Bay on Feb. 28. At the time, it was tied for the seventh longest in the nation and was the second longest home winning streak in Titan history, two away from the record.

Detroit has also won at least 11 games at Calihan Hall for the second-straight season.

The 13 wins are also tied for the most in school history with the perfect 13-0 mark during the 1986-87 season.

MORE ON CALIHAN MAGIC
Over a longer stretch of time, the Titans have posted a 24-4 ledger in their last 28 home games dating back to the 2010-11 campaign, as well as 39-12 in their last 51 home games.

UDM is also 47-23 in Calihan Hall since head coach Autumn Rademacher returned to her alma mater in 2008.

In their 35-year history, the Titans have enjoyed a 275-144 (.634) home court record.

MINE TO BREAK
It is one thing to break a record, but when you are a sophomore breaking a school record that you set as a freshman, now that is something to write about and Shareta Brown did just that.

She set the Titan school record with 611 points last season and upped that mark to 632 with her 30-point performance over Belmont in the WBI first-round victory.

Brown already is the quickest Titan to ever score 1,000 points as she accomplished the task in her 51st career game at home against UIC on Jan. 26, surpassing Cassandra Pack (1983-87) – the Titans' all-time leading scorer – who reached 1,000 points in her 57th career game and as a junior.

She is currently 12th in school history with 1,243 points, just 12 away from Shari Hill's (1997-01) total of 1,255.

ANOTHER TOP 10?
While her scoring is what she is noted for, sophomore Shareta Brown is also just one rebound away from tying Mandy Chandler (1987-91) for 10th place in school history with 586.

CAN SHE GET THERE?
Senior Demeisha Fambro already has a career year going on with 348 points on the team and an 11.6 average, second on the team and 16th in the Horizon League.

Fambro also has career highs in every statistical category posting 134 rebounds (4.5), 60 assists (1.9), 32 steals (1.1), 128 field goals, 45 three-point field goals and 47 free throws.

Her 109 career treys are now 10th in school history, just three away from Catie Goddard (2002-06) and her ninth-place total of 112.

She is also at 947 career points, just 53 away from becoming the 19th player in school history to reach 1,000.

ANOTHER TITAN MOVING UP
With 11 points against Belmont her last time out, senior Yar Shayok now has 1,188 career points, 13th in school history and just 11 shy of Jeanie Hill's (1994-98) 1,199 career markers.

HOISTING UP A RECORD
Detroit has not attempted a school record 604 three-pointers on the year, breaking the record of 593 thrown up during the 2005-06 season.

UDM is also close to setting a record for makes as it has 188, 25 away from the Titan mark of 213 also done during the 2005-06 campaign.

SHAYOK'S BLOCK PARTY
Senior Yar Shayok is fourth in school history with 115 blocks, just 11 behind Nina Rouser (126, 1993-97) for fourth place, but her season tying third block of the game against Belmont helped the Titans advance to the quarterfinals of the WBI.

With the time running down and Belmont attempting to take the lead, Shayok came over and blocked a shot with just two seconds left in the game as the Titans got the rebound and hit too free throws to seal the win.

SHEARER NOW TOP 8 IN 3'S
Junior Senee Shearer has now recorded 127 career triples after sinking three at Green Bay her last time out.

The 127 career 3-pointers is eighth in school history, seven away from seventh place and Jeanie Hill's (1994-98) 134.

A PAPAL CONNECTION
The University of Detroit Mercy and Pope Francis have something in common as both are Jesuits.

Pope Francis is unique in that he is also the first-ever Jesuit pope.

PLAYING AS A TEAM
In the Horizon League quarterfinals victory over Wright State, all seven Titans that got in the game contributing by scoring, grabbing a rebound and handing out an assist.