The Basics
Final Score: Sacred Heart 66, Detroit Mercy 60
Records: Detroit Mercy 0-7, Sacred Heart 2-4
Location: Las Vegas, Nev. (South Point Arena)

LAS VEGAS (11/29/2019) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball rallied numerous times in the first game of the 2019 South Point Shootout against Sacred Heart on Friday, but the Titans final furious rally came up just short in a 66-60 setback to the Pioneers from Las Vegas.

The Titans had several runs during the game, most notably late when Detroit Mercy used a 9-0 run to cut a 16-point deficit to just seven with 50 seconds on the clock. Detroit Mercy would get the lead down to five points with 25 seconds left, but ultimately came up short against Sacred Heart.

Freshman guard Sylare Starks continued her impressive freshman season, scoring in double figures for the fifth-straight game with a career-best 19 points. She hit two 3-pointers and made 5-of-11 field goals in the contest. Freshman forward Bridgid Fox had the best game of her young career, tallying career-highs in both points (12) and rebounds (seven) for the red, white and blue. Junior Aly Reiff added a season-high 10 points for Detroit Mercy.

The Titans shot a season-high 48.9 percent in the contest (22-of-45) and sank 13-of-17 shots from the free throw line. Detroit Mercy also out-rebounded Sacred Heart in the game, 26-22, with both teams combining for just 48 caroms as each squad shot efficiently from the floor. 

Sacred Heart took a 12-2 lead early and led 19-9 after one quarter, but Detroit Mercy chipped away at the Pioneer advantage in the second stanza. The Titans used a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to four points, 20-16, with Reiff scoring five points during that stretch, including an old-fashioned 3-point play. 

The red, white and blue scored seven of the final 11 points of the first half with Fox knocking down a pair of free throws and then a minute later freshman guard Abbie McDowell sinking a 3-pointer from the wing. Freshman guard Markyia McCormick converted on a drive with just 75 seconds left before halftime as Detroit Mercy trailed at the break, 34-27.

Detroit Mercy opened the second half scoring four of the first six points with sophomore forward Maxine Moore and and senior Zoey Oatis each scoring buckets. Sacred Heart eventually took a 43-33 lead with 3:07 left in the third quarter, but Detroit Mercy went on a 6-0 run to end the stanza, spearheaded by a pair of buckets on the block by Fox. After the run, the Titans trailed after three quarters, 43-39.

The Pioneers went on a run of their own to begin the fourth quarter, but Detroit Mercy, like it has all season long, never quit. After Sacred Heart called a timeout with 2:41 remaining in the game leading 59-43, the Titans immediately went on a 9-0 run.

Starks opened the run with a 3-pointer and then after one offensive possession, Starks grabbed an offensive rebound off her own miss and was fouled on a shot. She then sank both free throws to make the run 5-0. The next time down, Fox went to work in the paint again, scoring on the block and then sophomore guard Jiera Shears closed the run with steal and lay-up off the fast break.

Shears lay-up closed the gap to seven points, 59-52, with 50 seconds left on the clock. Starks added a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left and then after Sacred Heart made 1-of-2 free throws at the other end, Reiff connected on a floater in the lane and turned it into a 3-point play as she hit the ensuing free throw after she was fouled. Her second 3-point play of the game cut the Sacred Heart lead to 62-57 with 25 seconds left.

The Pioneers would go 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the remaining seconds, however, to stave off the Titans' furious comeback attempt. Starks scored eight of her team-high 19 points down the final stretch for the Titans.

Fox had 12 points and seven rebounds in just 19 minutes for Detroit Mercy. She shot 5-of-7 from the floor and tied for a game-high with her seven boards (two on the offensive end). Oatis and freshman guard Annika Corcoran each had two steals for the red, white and blue. Reiff converted on 4-of-5 field goal attempts and both shots from the free throw line. Moore had six points for Detroit Mercy.

Titan News & Notes
• Detroit Mercy shot 48.9 percent, the highest of the season and best percentage since Detroit Mercy shot 49.2 percent against Youngstown State on the road on Feb. 25, 2017.
• Fox is the third Titan freshmen to score in double figures this season with her career-high 12 points. Titan freshmen have scored in double figures seven times in 2019-20.
• Starks scored in double figures for the fifth-straight game and has established new career-highs in each of the past two contests.
• It was Starks' fifth game of the season hitting two or more 3-pointers.
• Reiff scored in double figures for the first time in her Titan career and second time in her collegiate career; Her career-high is 21 points.
• The Titans and Sacred Heart were meeting for the first time in women's basketball.

Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to play tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 30, taking on Tennessee Tech in the second day of the 2019 South Point Shootout from Las Vegas. The Titans play at the same time as Friday -- 2 p.m. ET and 11 a.m. PT in the first game of the day from the South Point Arena.