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DETROIT (11/20/2014) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team played strong defensively, but a game-tying three as time was expiring just couldn't find its way in as the Titans dropped a 60-57 contest at Ohio on Thursday night at the Convocation Center.
 
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds led Detroit with 15 points, while senior Ellisha Crosby had 12 and freshman Darianne Seward added 11. 
 
Detroit (1-2) trailed by as many as 14 with 9:48 remaining and by 10 with 5:04 left when the Titans began their comeback. Sophomore Haleigh Ristovski and Seward both capitalized on fouls by hitting both of their free throws to trim the deficit to six, 54-48, with 3:38 on the clock.
 
Ohio (3-0) ran its lead back to nine, 59-50, but the Titans struck quick as Reynolds knocked down a three and then added a free throw a minute later to make it 59-54 with 50 seconds left. After an Ohio free throw, Reynolds drained another from long range with 18 ticks showing as the Titans were within one possession, 60-57.
 
UDM had to foul on its defensive sequence and did just that with the Bobcats missing both from the line, giving Detroit one final opportunity to send it to overtime, but Reynolds' 3-pointer was just too strong clashing off the rim as time ran out.
 
Reynolds added two assists and two steals, while Seward had two assists, two steals and three rebounds. Ristovski totaled nine points and a team-high eight rebounds with three assists.
 
The Titans held the high-scoring Ohio offense - which averaged 97.5 points in its first two games - to just 60 points and 33.3% shooting (19-of-57) with 16 turnovers.
 
It was a back and forth affair in the first half as there were three lead changes and eight ties. Crosby sparked the offense early by scoring eight of the Titans' first 10 points, with two of those coming from behind the arc and the last one giving UDM a 10-7 lead. On the next possession, Seward would drive right to the rim for a basket and a five-point Titan advantage, 12-7, nearly five minutes in.
 
The defense forced Ohio into just 21.9% shooting in the first seven minutes (3-of-14), as the Titans didn't let the Bobcats get into any kind of offensive rhythm.
 
The game would be tied five times in the next 10 minutes when the Titans scored six straight for a 27-21 lead at the 2:30 mark. The Titan freshmen made that charge as Chea Taylor got inside for a layup and Seward connected on a pair of free throws before Crosby hit a jumper as the red, white and blue went into the half up, 27-25.
 
Detroit forced five turnovers and held Ohio to just 24.2% shooting (8-of-33) in the first 20 minutes of play.
 
Taylor finished the game with three points and three rebounds and freshman Nicole Urbanick had three points with two boards.
 
The Titans will have a quick turnaround as the red, white and blue host St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Nov. 22. It will be a Titan doubleheader with the women's game starting at 12:30 p.m., and the men facing South Alabama at 3:00 p.m. Both of those games will be televised by Comcast 900 as well as live streamed on ESPN3.
 
Game Notes:
Ohio now leads the all-time series, 4-3… Detroit was 3-0 all-time in the Convocation Center entering the game… It was a homecoming of sorts for a few Titans as Seward, Taylor and DaVonna Bradford are all from Ohio… Seward has been in double figures in scoring in all three games so far… UDM has led at the half in all three games on the season… The Titans have held their last two opponents to just 53.0 ppg…