The Basics
Final Score: Western Michigan 82, Detroit Mercy 67
Records: Detroit Mercy 0-5, Western Michigan 2-1
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich. (University Arena)

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (11/20/2019) -- Despite a career-high 17 points from sophomore forward Nicole Johanson and three Titans scoring in double figures Wednesday night, the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team dropped an 82-67 road contest to in-state foe Western Michigan from University Arena.

Johanson scored in double figures for the second-straight contest, sinking 7-of-9 shots and added a team-high seven rebounds. Titan sophomore forward Maxine Moore -- who transferred from WMU to Detroit Mercy -- added 12 points in her return to WMU, while freshman guard Sylare Starks scored in double figures for the third-straight game with 11 points.

Johanson did most of her damage after the halftime break -- scoring 15 points in the second half to help spark a Titans rally early in the fourth quarter. Detroit Mercy trailed by 13 points at the end of the third quarter, but went on a 7-0 run in a span of 70 seconds to start the fourth quarter with Johanson scoring the first four of those points and then junior Aly Reiff nailing a 3-pointer from the corner to prompt a Western Michigan timeout. The Titans pulled to within six points, 60-54, after the run.

Johanson added another bucket shortly after the timeout, but WMU was able to keep its offense going, sinking its free throws in the fourth quarter (eight of them) after Detroit Mercy was whistled for fouls early in the final stanza. Moore connected on a 3-pointer with 5:30 left to pull the Titans to within eight, 67-59, but WMU followed with a lay-up and the red, white and blue would get no closer.

Detroit Mercy trailed early in the contest with Western Michigan taking a 25-16 lead after the first quarter, but the Titans came back as Starks converted on her second 3-pointer of the first half late in the second quarter and it was followed by a pair of buckets by freshman forward Bridgid Fox, one of which came just before the halftime buzzer after a scramble for the ball. The Titans trailed at the halftime break, 39-27, with Starks and Moore each scoring six first-half points.

Johanson started the second half strong with six points in the final 3:43 of the third quarter and 3-pointers by Reiff and freshman guard Annika Corcoran chipped away at the Bronco lead as Detroit Mercy was down 13 points after three stanzas, 60-47. Reiff connected on two 3-pointers in the second half as Detroit Mercy sank seven triples in the contest overall.

Detroit Mercy shot above 40-percent for the second-straight contest, sinking 23-of-57 shots for a 40-percent shooting clip. The Titans were 7-of-18 from outside of the 3-point arc for a 39-percent mark on treys. The red, white and blue sank 14-of-23 shots from the free throw line. The Titans shot above 50-percent in both the first and fourth quarters.

Reiff had eight points and three steals for the Titans, while senior Zoey Oatis corralled a season-high four steals, adding four points and six caroms. In addition to her 12 points, Moore had five rebounds, one block and one steal. Detroit Mercy had a season-high eight steals in the contest.

Western Michigan had the edge in rebounding, 46-35. Detroit Mercy had 20 turnovers, but forced Western Michigan into 15 turnovers of their own.

Titan News & Notes
• Johanson scored in double figures for the second-straight game and is averaging 12.0 points per game across her past three contests.
• Moore played in 29 games for Western Michigan during her freshman season in 2018-19, transferring in to the Detroit Mercy program over the summer.
• Moore scored in double figures for the fourth consecutive game, while Starks was in double figures for the third-straight contest.
• Reiff had her second three-steal game of the season, while Oatis, who ranked third in the Horizon League in steals a season ago, had a season-high four thefts.
• The Titans shot above 40-percent in the second-straight game and had a season-high mark on 3-point field goals (39 percent).
• It was the 34th meeting between the two women's basketball programs (WMU leads series, 20-14).
• It's the first of four games against Mid-American Conference foes with Detroit Mercy playing Akron in its next game on Saturday.

Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to Calihan Hall for its next contest, hosting another Mid-American Conference foe in Akron on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Noon. It's the final home game of the month for the Titans with the red, white and blue returning to the road for a pair of games in Las Vegas, Nev. on Nov. 29-30 over the Thanksgiving holiday.