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DETROIT (1/9/2014) -- Four players were in doubles figures and an undermanned Titan squad rallied on numerous occasions, but just could not get the lead back as the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team fell 78-71 to the Cleveland State Vikings on Thursday night at Calihan Hall.

Senior Senee Shearer led the way with a team-high 24 points, while freshman Megan Galloway tallied 13 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore DaVonna Bradford posted a career-high 12 points with five rebounds and sophomore Tayelor McCalister added 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Detroit (3-12, 0-2 HL) led by five coming out of the half, but an 18-6 run by Cleveland State (6-8, 0-1 HL) in the first five minutes of the second stanza had UDM in a seven-point deficit, 51-44.

A 9-2 spurt tied it at 53-53 as Shearer had seven points and freshman Lizzy Connors nailed the equalizer off a steal from junior Brie Wilcox with 12:39 left, but CSU quickly scores five-straight points to regain the lead.

The Titans were able to tie it again at 61-61 as Bradford grabbed her own miss and laid it in with 7:39 remaining, but the Vikings came back with an 8-2 run for a 69-63 advantage with a little more than five minutes left. Detroit then made it a one-possession game, 69-67, as Bradford and McCalister had baskets as well as 71-69 and 73-71 as a pair of free throws from Shearer on both occasions had UDM down by just two with 1:07 on the clock.

UDM even forced a miss from CSU on the ensuing possession, but the Vikings grabbed the offensive rebound en route to ending the game with five straight points.

Shearer also had five rebounds and three assists, while Connors netted five points and Wilcox finished with six rebounds.

UDM attempted a season-low eight 3-pointers and was 18-of-22 at the free throw line, but the Vikings shot 55.2% in the second half (16-of-29).

Detroit started out slow as Cleveland State used some early turnovers to take an 11-6 lead.  UDM fought back to knot it at 16-all midway through the first half, but the Vikings went on a mini 8-2 run to jump out in front, 24-18, at the 8:41 mark.

That is when the Titan's offense got it going with a 15-2 spurt to take a 33-26 advantage. UDM was 6-of-7 from the field in that span, while the defense forced two turnovers and held CSU to 0-of-11 shooting. McCalister was the main catalyst with six points, two assists, and a steal in that stretch and Shearer also added six points in that run.

The red, white and blue eventually ran its lead to eight, 38-30, as the Titans hit some timely free throws in the final few minutes and went into the break with a 38-33. The Titans shot 51.9% (14-of-27) in the first half compared to CSU's 10-of-41 (24.4%).

UDM will now get ready for Homecoming as the Titans host Oakland in a basketball doubleheader this Saturday at Calihan Hall. The women will start things off at 2:00 p.m., with the raising of their 2013 Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) championship banner prior to the game and then the men will battle OU at 7:00 p.m.

For tickets, click here.

Game Notes:
Detroit is now 35-15 all-time against Cleveland State… A UDM team that has been decimated by injuries so far saw senior Megan Hatter not in uniform due to an injury… UDM used its 10th different starting line-up this season… Four of today's five Detroit starters were from the state of Ohio with the lone exception in Shearer… Shearer is now 33 points away from 1,000… Detroit outscored Cleveland State, 44-26, in the paint… It was the sixth time this season UDM had four players in double figures and the first since Dec. 15 against Eastern Michigan.