The Basics
Final Score: Akron 81, Detroit Mercy 60
Records: Detroit Mercy 0-6, Akron 4-1
Location: Detroit, Mich. (Calihan Hall)

DETROIT (11/23/2019) -- Senior Zoey Oatis recorded her third career double-double and was one of four Titans in double figures Saturday afternoon, but a strong start from the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team wasn't enough in an 81-60 home setback to visiting Akron from Calihan Hall.

Oatis had 10 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists for Detroit Mercy. Freshman guards Sylare Starks and Annika Corcoran both scored career-highs for the Titans, tallying 14 and 11 points, respectively, and sophomore forward Nicole Johanson scored in double figures in the third consecutive outing with 10 points for the Titans.

Detroit Mercy came out of the gate strong offensively and led 13-5 at the media timeout in the opening quarter. After Akron went ahead 5-3 to start the contest, Detroit Mercy used a 10-0 run to take a 13-5 advantage over the visiting Zips with 4:39 left in the first. Corcoran converted on her second field goal early to begin the run and Starks followed with a 3-pointer off a feed from Oatis as Detroit Mercy went ahead, 8-5. Oatis then slashed through the paint for a jumper and off the fast break, sophomore Jiera Shears found Starks, who drilled a 3-pointer from the wing to close out the 10-0 run.

Shears sank a triple from the top of the key after two-straight Oatis lay-ups with Detroit Mercy leading after a high-energy first quarter, 20-17. Oatis had seven points and four rebounds in the first stanza, while Detroit Mercy shot 47-percent in the opening 10 minutes, including sinking three 3-pointers (two by Starks).

Freshman forward Bridgid Fox opened the second quarter with a bucket off an assist from Corcoran and Detroit Mercy took a 24-20 lead over Akron after Starks sank a jumper off the fast break. That score remained for some time with neither team scoring for several possessions. Starks got to 10 points midway through the second stanza on a pair of free throws. The game was tied up three times during the final five minutes of the first half with Akron eventually taking a 35-31 lead in the final minute before Corcoran sank a tough lay-up over two defenders as she was fouled.

The Titans trailed by two at the halftime break, 35-33. Starks led all scorers with 10 points after 20 minutes.

Akron scored eight of the first 12 points out of halftime to take a 43-37 lead, but after a Detroit Mercy timeout, the Titans went on a 7-0 run to re-gain the lead, 44-43. Johanson was big during the stretch, starting it by grabbing an offensive board and finishing the put-back and after a steal and lay-up by Oatis, Johanson converted on an old-fashioned 3-point play, taking a feed from Oatis and scoring on the block and then converting the ensuing free throw after she was fouled. The Titans had a 44-43 with 5:39 left in the third.

The Zips would then use a run of their own to re-take the lead and gain the advantage heading into the final stanza. Akron had a 60-47 edge over Detroit Mercy heading into the final 10 minutes of play. Akron would maintain its double-digit advantage in the fourth quarter. Starks scored her career-high 13th and 14th points on free throws with seven minutes left and Corcoran would get into double figures for the first time in her career on a 3-pointer from the wing with just over three minutes remaining in the contest.

Detroit Mercy out-rebounded Akron in the game, 42-38, which included 13 offensive rebounds (four by Oatis and three from Johanson). Oatis had 10 or more rebounds for the third time in her career and converted on all four field goal attempts. She also led the team in both steals and assists. Johanson contributed six rebounds and eight different Titans had multiple boards in the contest.

The Titans shot 37.9-percent (22-for-58) in the game and hit 5-of-18 triple attempts and 11-of-18 free throw shots. Detroit Mercy had 23 turnovers in the contest. Akron made 42.9-percent of its field goal attempts (30-for-70), including 7-of-20 from behind the long line.

Titan News & Notes
• Oatis notched her third career double-double and first of the season; She had two last season for the Titans.
• Starks scored in double figures for the fourth-straight game, while Johanson was in doubles for the third consecutive contest.
• Oatis had her second-straight four-steal game and is up to 13 steals on the season in six games (2.2 per game).
• Corcoran scored in double figures for the first time in her career after nearly hitting that mark at Michigan State (nine points) in her second career game.
• Johanson is averaging 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game across her past four contests -- including shooting 59-percent across that stretch.
• Starks has knocked down multiple 3-pointers in four games this season and hit at least one in every contest in 2019-20. She has 10 made treys on the season.
• Detroit Mercy's 42 rebounds were the most since the Titans had 43 caroms against Oakland at home on Feb. 19, 2018.
• It was the second of four meetings with the Mid-American Conference this season (Detroit Mercy hosts Eastern Michigan and Toledo in December).
• It was just the sixth meeting all-time with Akron (Titans lead series, 4-2).

Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to play next week, heading to Las Vegas, Nev. for a pair of contests over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Titans play Sacred Heart on Friday, Nov. 29 and Tennessee Tech on Saturday, Nov. 30 from South Point Casino & Resort in Las Vegas. Both games are set for an 11 a.m. local start time in Las Vegas and 2 p.m. ET start time.