The Basics
Final Score: Oakland 74, Detroit Mercy 67
Records: Detroit Mercy 2-12 (0-3 HL), Oakland 4-10 (1-2 HL)
Location: Rochester, Mich. (O'rena)
ROCHESTER, Mich. (1/4/2019) -- Four Titans scored in double figures and junior
Ashley Miller tallied her first career double-double, but a first-half deficit was too much to overcome as the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team was upended, 74-67, at Oakland in the first #MetroSeries match-up of 2018-19.
The Titans scored 31 points in the fourth quarter using a furious rally to trim the deficit to within seven points, but Detroit Mercy would get no closer in the setback.
Miller posted 10 points and tied her career-high with 10 rebounds and freshman
Jess Bicknell netted 15 points with two steals. Senior
Brittney Jackson and junior
Zoey Oatis each had a team-high 16 points, a career best for Jackson as she also added three assists, and Oatis collected seven rebounds and a pair of steals.
Detroit Mercy trailed by as many as 27 in the game and was down 63-42 with 7:21 left when the Titans went on a 17-3 run to get within seven points. The offense was clicking in the final stanza, going 6-of-10 from the field and the defense held Oakland to 1-of-6 with four turnovers in a five-minute stretch.
Jackson began the run with a layup and Oatis followed with a jumper. Off an offensive rebound, freshman
Sophia DiMilia went inside for a basket and by forcing another turnover on defense, Bicknell got open and drained a triple to get the Titans within 12, 63-51, with 5:19 remaining.
The Titans got even closer as another Bicknell three got the deficit under 10, 65-56, and off another stop on defense, Jackson lined up a long ball and found the bottom of the net to make it 66-59 with just over two minutes left.
Detroit Mercy was also within seven, 68-61, with 1:28 on the clock as Bicknell hit another jumper, but the Titans could not complete the comeback.
The Titans finished with 18 forced turnovers and held the Golden Grizzlies to just 3-of-14 from behind the arc.
The Titans got off to a quick start as Miller got inside and was fouled, hitting both free throws, and then Oatis slipped past the defense for a layup and a 4-0 lead. Another Oatis layup off a nice pass by Miller would give the red, white and blue a 6-5 lead, just over three minutes in.
Oakland and the Titans would battle the rest of the first period and a falling layup by sophomore
Lexey Tobel had Detroit Mercy down by just four, 21-17, after the first quarter.
The Golden Grizzlies would use a big run in the second quarter to jump out to a 44-21 advantage at the half, despite the Titans forcing 10 turnovers and holding Oakland to 2-of-7 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes.
Detroit Mercy outscored Oakland, 15-13, in the third, and led by the 21-point margin until the furious comeback attempt. The Titans shot 60 percent in the final quarter (12-of-20), sinking all three 3-pointers made during the game.
The Titans went 20-of-29 from the free throw line (69 percent) in the contest and had seven steals. Detroit Mercy had 17 offensive rebounds -- five each from Miller and Oatis. Bicknell added two steals and sank both 3-point attempts, while shooting 5-of-12 from the floor overall. Both Oatis and Jackson shot 6-of-9 from the floor.
Chloe Guingrich had 21 points and 16 rebounds, while Taylor Jones had 11 points, 16 assists and nine rebounds for Oakland (4-10, 1-2 HL).
Titan News & Notes
• Miller notched her first career double-double and third this season by a Titan after
Zoey Oatis and
Sophia DiMilia.
• Bicknell scored in double figures for the sixth time in 14 career games.
• Jackson scored a career-high 16, 14 of those points coming in the second half rally. Her previous career-high was 15 against Youngstown State last season.
• Oatis was one point shy of her season-high in points with 16. She has scored better than 15 points in four games.
• Miller's 10 rebounds matched her career-high and it was her second career game of 10 or more boards.
• Oatis totaled two more steals -- her eighth game of the season with multiple steals.
• The 17 offensive rebounds from the Titans were a season-best.
• Detroit Mercy and Oakland were meeting for the 28th time all-time in women's basketball (Titans lead, 15-13).
• Coach Scott is 3-4 all-time against the Golden Grizzlies (2-2 at the O'rena).
Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to the road next weekend, visiting IUPUI on Friday, Jan. 11 before heading to Chicago for a contest against Horizon League foe UIC on Sunday, Jan. 13.
