DETROIT (11/3/2017) -- Senior
Brianne Cohen posted a game-high 19 points and senior
Nicole Urbanick added 18 as the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team wrapped up its preseason with a 77-66 setback to Lawrence Tech on Friday night.
The game was the only exhibition of the year for Detroit Mercy, who chose to play a closed scrimmage for its other preseason action. Meanwhile, LTU was playing its third game of the year.
Urbanick also handed out seven assists and finished with four steals. Freshman
Kayla Brown recorded nine points and sophomore
Zoey Oatis added seven points and five boards.
The Titans shot 40.9-percent for the game, including 60.0-percent in the second quarter and 58.8-percent in the third, but lost the battle of the boards, 45-32. The defense did force 16 turnovers with nine steals and held the Blue Devils to 39.7-percent from the field.
Detroit Mercy will return to action next Friday, Nov. 10, as the red, white and blue officially begin the 2017-18 season on the road at Miami University of Ohio.
First Quarter
- Neither team shot the ball well to start things off as the Titans were 3-of-18 and Lawrence Tech was 6-of-17 in the first 10 minutes.
- A three by junior Lola Ristovski had the Titans within two, 11-9, but LTU netted the last five points for a 16-9 advantage after the opening quarter.
Second Quarter
- The Titans trailed by as many as eight, 19-11, when they went on an 8-0 run to knot things up.
- Oatis began the charge with a free throw and after a LTU turnover, the ball got inside to Cohen who kicked it out to Urbanick for a triple.
- Senior Cortney Williams hit a jumper after that and another LTU turnover off a steal by Urbanick led to lay-up by Cohen and the game was tied at 19-all with 6:22 left.
- The Titans just could not get the lead and Lawrence Tech went into the break ahead, 36-30.
Third Quarter
- Detroit Mercy came out on a 12-6 run to take its first lead of the game, 43-42, as Oatis ran the court for a fast-break lay-up at the 6:40 mark.
- After a LTU basket, sophomore Ashley Miller pulled down the board and the ball eventually found Ristovski, who drained a jumper to make it 45-44 with 4:46 remaining.
- LTU fought back to take the lead, 50-47, but a steal from Urbanick set up freshman Lexey Tobel's trey and the game was tied with 1:37 on the clock.
- The Blue Devils jumped back ahead, but a three by Urbanick and a lay-up from Cohen put the Titans back in front, 55-52.
- Another LTU 3-pointer had the game all squared at 55-55 entering the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
- The Titans continued their strong play to start the fourth as Brown hit a three and then added another basket for a five-point lead, 60-55, with 8:46 left.
- A basket by Cohen made it a five-point advantage again at 62-57, but LTU scored four-straight points to trim the lead to one.
- Cohen pushed that back to three, 64-61, with 4:34 left, but the Blue Devils were able to go on another run to take the lead.
