The Basics
Final Score: Western Michigan 74, Detroit Mercy 62
Records: Detroit Mercy 0-8, Western Michigan 5-5
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich. (University Arena)
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (12/8/2017) -- Senior forward
Brianne Cohen posted her fifth 20-point game of the season Friday night, but the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team dropped a 74-62 contest at Western Michigan from University Arena.
Cohen scored a team-high 21 points on just nine shots, sinking 7-of-9 attempts from the floor. Senior
Nicole Urbanick added 11 points for the Titans, while classmate
Cortney Williams had a career-best seven rebounds.
The Titans shot 20-for-27 from the free throw line (74.1 percent) during the contest. Overall in the game, Detroit Mercy shot 37.3 percent, making 19-of-51 field goal attempts. The red, white and blue had six blocks in the game, but committed 20 turnovers.
Cohen scored the first five points for the Titans and Urbanick sank a long jumper as Detroit Mercy took a 7-6 lead early midway through the first quarter. After WMU went up 16-9 with 2:26 left in the first stanza, the Titans closed the frame on a 7-2 run with Cohen scoring five-straight again. Freshman
Lexey Tobel beat the first quarter buzzer off an assist from
Gracie Roberts, laying the ball in with 1 second left.
After the first, the Titans trailed 18-16 with Cohen already in double figures with 10 points. The Broncos opened the second quarter on a run to take a 32-21 lead, but five-straight Detroit Mercy points on a 3-point play by Cohen and two free throws by sophomore
Zoey Oatis following a steal pulled the Titans within six, 32-26.
Junior
Brittney Jackson sank a 3-pointer in the final minute of the first half, but the Broncos led 41-29 at the break. Cohen (15 points) and Urbanick (seven points) had 22 of the 29 Titan points at the halftime break.
Cohen hit the first Titan shot of the second half to move into 17th place on the all-time scoring list, surpassing Mandy Chandler in career points. WMU used a 9-2 run, however, to open the second half to force Detroit Mercy into a timeout. After three quarters, the Titans trailed 65-40.
Detroit Mercy out-scored Western Michigan 22-9 in the final stanza, with Roberts scoring four-straight points midway through the final quarter before Oatis had another steal and finish at the rim on a lay-up. The Titans went on a 7-0 run midway through the quarter and finished the game on a 14-5 run overall.
Tobel hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2:46 left and then with 1:00 left, hit three free throws after she was fouled on another triple try from outside. Junior
Lola Ristovski closed out the scoring with a jumper from the free throw line.
Tobel finished with eight points, while Williams and Oatis each added five points for the Titans. Ristovski and Oatis each posted two blocks, with Oatis also tallying two steals. Roberts led the squad with three assists.
Cohen sank seven free throws in the game, surpassing two Titans and moving into eighth place all-time in free throws made (275)..
Titan News & Notes
• Cohen moved into 17th place on the all-time scoring list (1,186 points), passing Mandy Chandler (1,181 points).
• Urbanick went into a tie for third in career 3-pointers (201), sinking a first-half triple.
• Cohen scored in double figures for the seventh time in eight games.
• It was also her 21st career 20-point scoring effort and seventh game this year with five or more boards.
• Williams previous career-high in rebounds was five.
• Cohen passed Amira Danforth (10th, 271) Cheryl Williams (9th, 272) in career free throws made.
• The 20 free throws made as a team were the second-highest of the season (25 vs. Clemson).
• Oatis has six steals and three blocks total in the past three games.
• The Titans and Broncos were meeting for the 32nd time in women's basketball.
Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to the hardwood at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday playing Big Ten foe Illinois from Champaign-Urbana, Ill. The game is set to be streamed live via Big Ten Network Plus.
