The Basics
Final Score: Detroit 89, Milwaukee 79
Records: Detroit 9-10 (5-3 HL), Milwaukee 11-8 (5-3 HL)
Location: Milwaukee, Wis. (Klotsche Center)
MILWAUKEE (1/28/2016) -- The Titans proved to be road warriors once again. The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team improved to 3-0 in Horizon League road contests this season, earning an 89-79 victory at Milwaukee on Thursday night. The Titans improved to 5-3 in the Horizon League overall.
Detroit (9-10, 5-3 HL) trailed at the halftime break, 47-44, but used a 19-4 run to open the second half to take the lead for good. Detroit shot a season-high 57 percent from the floor and made its free throws all game long, sinking 19-of-21 for the game, including all 10 in the fourth quarter to help end the Panthers' comeback bid.
Five Titans scored in double figures led by junior
Rosanna Reynolds' 21 points. Reynolds made all 12 free throws, including six in the final quarter of the contest.
Nicole Urbanick made five triples and finished with 17 points, while classmate
Brianne Cohen also had 17 points. Sisters
Haleigh Ristovski and
Lola Ristovski each had 10 points. Neither sister missed from the field as they combined to go 7-for-7, including 4-of-4 from downtown.
Detroit shot 61 percent in the first half and scored 28 points in the second quarter, but trailed to Milwaukee by three points at halftime. Urbanick made 4-of-5 treys in the first half for 12 points. The Titans started the second half with a bang, scoring the first eight points of the frame to take a 52-47 lead.
Haleigh Ristovski opened the half with a jumper, which was followed by Urbanick's fifth 3-pointer. Reynolds than sank a jumper before
Lola Ristovski split a pair of free throws at the line.
The Titans continued their run in the quarter and eventually went up 63-51 after Reynolds followed a lay-up with two free throws. Milwaukee chipped away at the UDM lead, but Detroit led after three quarters, 68-65. Detroit again went on a run in the fourth quarter, using a 7-0 spurt to take a 78-69 lead with 5:45 left. Freshman
Brittney Jackson hit two 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter, the second to highlight the run.
Milwaukee scored the next eight points to pull to within one point, 78-77, but
Lola Ristovski followed with her third 3-pointer of the game with 2:04 left to give Detroit an 81-77 lead. Reynolds then went to work at the free throw line, sinking all six shots in the final 1:41 of the game. Urbanick also connected on a pair at the free throw line as Detroit was 8-for-8 in the final 101 seconds. Detroit also held Milwaukee to just one field goal made in its final six shots.
For freshman
Lola Ristovski, the 10 points were a career-high. Junior
Haleigh Ristovski added a career-best eight assists and seven rebounds, while Reynolds dished out seven assists of her own.
Lola Ristovski added a team-high three steals. Urbanick, who entered the game 12th in the NCAA in 3-point makes, added five more on 5-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Cohen was 7-of-10 from the field and made all three free throws.
Detroit made 29 field goals and assisted on 23 of them. The Titans also went 12-of-23 from beyond the arc for a season-high 52.2 percent rate. The 90.5 percent clip from the free throw line was also a season best as Detroit achieved new season marks in all three shooting categories.
The Titans held Milwaukee, who had scored more than 80 points in the past three games, to just 32 points in the second half. Both teams finished with 28 rebounds, while Detroit held the advantages in blocks (4-0), bench points (25-12) and assists (23-15).
Milwaukee (11-8, 5-3 Horizon League) was led by Sierra Ford-Washington, who had 24 points.
Titan News & Notes• The 56.9 percent shooting percentage was the best in a game since Dec. 22, 2012 when Detroit hit 58.7 percent of shots in a win over Madonna.
• The last time Detroit shot 90 percent of better from the FT line (min. 10 attempts) was March 9, 2011 at Butler (10 of 11 for 90.9 percent clip).
• The Titans tied a season-high in points scored, matching the 89 they scored at UIC.
• It also was a season-best in assists with 23.
Haleigh Ristovski set a new career-high with eight helpers.
• Detroit improved to 3-0 on the road in Horizon League play. The Titans also won road games at Valparaiso and UIC.
• The Titans shot 50 percent or better for the third time this season. Detroit has won all three games.
• UDM improved to 9-2 when hitting 40 percent of its shots or better.
• Detroit's 12 made 3-pointers were one shy of a season high.
• Urbanick made three or more 3-pointers for the 10th time this season. She has eclipsed five 3-pointers four times.
• Reynolds set a new career-high for free throws made (12), just four shy of the school record. It's also a Horizon League high.
• It's the first time this season that Detroit has had five players score in double figures.
• Detroit reached 80 points for the fifth time this year. UDM is 5-0 in those contests.
Up NextThe Titans continue their road trip in Wisconsin on Saturday, playing in Green Bay at 2 p.m. ET. The game is set to be streamed live on ESPN3.com. Following its trip out West, Detroit plays two games in Ohio next weekend, visiting Cleveland State on Thursday and Youngstown State on Saturday.
