The Basics
Final Score: Western Michigan 54, Detroit Mercy 44
Records: Detroit Mercy 2-7, Western Michigan 3-4
Location: Detroit, Mich. (Calihan Hall)

DETROIT (12/9/2018) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team was unable to rally from a slow start Sunday afternoon in a 54-44 non-conference loss to visiting Western Michigan from Calihan Hall. The Titans were playing in their final non-conference home game.

Titan freshman Jess Bicknell led the way for Detroit Mercy for the second-straight contest, scoring a game-best 12 points and adding a career-best four assists. Freshman guard Jiera Shears added a career-high nine points off the bench for the Titans, while freshman forward Paige Bellman equaled her career-high with a game-best 11 rebounds.

Detroit Mercy couldn't get a shot to fall early, going 1-of-11 in the opening quarter and trailed by double figures after one quarter of play. The Titans out-scored Western Michigan after that first quarter of play, however, holding a 42-36 margin in the final three quarters, but was unable to complete a late rally.

The red, white and blue out-scored WMU in the second quarter, 14-10, as sophomore forward Lexey Tobel and Bellman both made 3-pointers in the second stanza. Bellman's triple late in the first half pulled Detroit Mercy to within nine, 25-16, and at the halftime break, the Titans were down 28-16. Tobel had five points and six rebounds at the halftime break.

WMU upped its advantage early in the third quarter, but Detroit Mercy scored six points in the final 1:38 of the stanza as Bicknell found junior Ashley Miller for a lay-up on the fast break and then Bicknell herself connected on two buckets with under 1 minute left in the third frame.

Detroit Mercy drained three 3-pointers in the final quarter with Bicknell, senior Lola Ristovski and Shears all connecting from deep. Shears scored all nine of her career-high in points in a span 79 seconds, scoring off a triple, lay-up and four consecutive free throws late in the fourth quarter as Detroit Mercy went on a 10-0 run to end the contest.

The Titans' defense forced Western Michigan into a season-high 22 turnovers and the red, white and blue notched 12 steals overall with Ristovski tallying three swipes. Bicknell, Miller and Tobel each had two steals. Freshman Alex Burr also had two blocks for the Titans on defense. Detroit Mercy held its opponent to 60 points or less for the fourth-straight contest and seventh overall this season in nine games.

Tobel finished with seven points and seven rebounds, while Miller had five points and five boards (four offensive). Junior Zoey Oatis added five points, four rebounds and two assists.

The Titans shot 29.2 percent in the contest overall, going 14-of-48 from the floor. Detroit Mercy was 11-of-25 (44 percent) from the free throw line. The Titans had 35 rebounds, the second-most this season.

Titan News & Notes
• Bicknell led the Titans in scoring for the third time this season and second-straight game.
• Bellman tied a Titan season-best and her career-high with 11 rebounds, her fourth career game of nine or more caroms.
• Shears entered the game with seven career points and more than doubled that total by game's end.
• Detroit Mercy forced its opponent to 19 or more turnovers for the fourth consecutive contest.
• The Titans have 47 steals in their past four games (11.8 steals per game) and entered the game third in the Horizon League in that category.
• Detroit Mercy made five 3-pointers -- the fifth-straight game of five or more triples.
• The red, white and blue have allowed 60 or less points in seven of nine games this season.
• It was the 33rd meeting all-time between WMU and the Titans (Detroit Mercy trails, 14-19).

Up Next
Detroit Mercy next returns to the hardwood Monday, Dec. 17 on the road at Bowling Green. The Titans have two games before the Christmas break, also traveling to Toledo on Dec. 21.