The Basics
Final Score: Detroit Mercy 73, Kent State 52
Records: Detroit Mercy 2-2, Kent State 2-2
Location: Detroit, Mich. (Calihan Hall)
DETROIT (11/21/2016) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team opened the 2016-17 home schedule with a bang Monday night, leading from start-to-finish in a 73-52 triumph over visiting Kent State University from Calihan Hall.
The Titans outscored the Golden Flashes in each quarter of their home opener. Detroit Mercy shot 42.1 percent from the floor and converted on 19-of-24 free throws, while limiting Kent State to just 26.2 percent shooting.
Senior guard
Rosanna Reynolds led the Titans with 17 points, while
Brianne Cohen added 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting for Detroit Mercy, which improved to 2-2 on the season.
Kelsey Mitchell added seven points, nine rebounds and three blocks off the bench.
The Titans looked energized from the opening tip, scoring seven of the game's first nine points. Detroit Mercy would earn its first double-digit lead of the contest after freshman
Anja Marinkovic hit a 3-pointer to give the Titans a 19-9 lead with 3:22 left in the first quarter.
Sophomore guard
Brittney Jackson added a 3-pointer minutes later, and Detroit Mercy led after the first, 23-18. Detroit Mercy opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run, highlighted by six points from Cohen, as the Titans took a 33-18 lead just 2:43 seconds into the second stanza. The Titans would continue their double-digit advantage all the way to the break, allowing just eight Kent State points in the second, staking the Titans to a 39-26 halftime lead.
It was more of the same in the second half as Detroit Mercy scored the first five points of the third quarter and went on a 12-0 run from the end of the third quarter through the start of the final stanza. Reynolds and Cohen accounted for all 12 points during the run to help propel the Titans to a commanding 66-41 lead with 6:46 left in the contest. The Titans led by 19 or more points the rest of the way and earned a lead as big as 25 points.
Eleven Titans notched points in the contest. Jackson and junior
Nicole Urbanick each hit two 3-pointers and scored eight points for the Titans. Reynolds and senior
Haleigh Ristovski each added seven boards and two steals, while four Titans had blocks - including Mitchell with three - as Detroit Mercy tallied six rejections on the evening.
Detroit Mercy was also strong on the break in the game, holding a 20-3 advantage. The Titans had 43 rebounds, which was their fourth-straight contest with 40 or more to begin the 2016-17 season.
The Titans held Kent State leading scorer Larissa Lurken scoreless in the first half and to just five points overall in the contest. Lurken entered the game leading the nation in free throws made and was averaging 27.0 points per game.
Titan News & Notes
• Reynolds has led the Titans in scoring in each game this season.
• The Titans have 14 blocks total in their past two contests.
• Under
Bernard Scott, Detroit Mercy improved to 9-8 in games played at Calihan Hall.
• Detroit Mercy and Kent State were meeting for the first time since the 1987-88 season.
• The Titans improved to 22-18 all-time in home openers.
• Detroit Mercy's next home game is Wednesday, Nov. 30, against George Mason on Field Trip Day at 11 a.m.
Up Next
The Titans head to California for the Thanksgiving holiday, playing in the Cal State Northridge Thanksgiving Classic on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25-26. Detroit Mercy opens the game against the Crusaders on Friday, before playing either Michigan State or Delaware on Saturday.
