The Basics
Final Score: Toledo 82, Detroit Mercy 64
Records: Detroit Mercy 0-10, Toledo 3-5
Location: Detroit, Mich. (Calihan Hall)

DETROIT (12/14/2019) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team showed grit and toughness against Mid-American Conference opponent Toledo on Saturday, pulling to within one point late in the third quarter, but it wasn't enough as the Titans dropped a home contest from Calihan Hall, 82-64. 
 
Freshman guard Sylare Starks had a team-high 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, just two points off her career best. Freshman forward Bridgid Fox nearly had a double-double with a career-high 14 points and a career-best nine rebounds. Freshman guard Markyia McCormick and sophomore forward Maxine Moore chipped in with eight points each for the Titans, while senior guard Zoey Oatis had seven points and six rebounds for the red, white and blue. Freshman guard Annika Corcoran added a career-high five assists.

Starks was on fire in the first half, sinking 6-of-7 shots from the field and scoring 17 points by the halftime break. She converted on her first four 3-point looks in the contest and sank her first six field goal attempts.
 
Detroit Mercy shot well from the field for most of the first quarter making 57 percent of their shot attempts. Starks had it going early, sinking three field goals in the opening 10 minutes, including a 3-pointer and a lay-up off an offensive rebound as she had eight points in the first 10 minutes. Bridgid Fox made a layup with 17 seconds left to cut the Rockets lead to five, 23-18. 
 
In the beginning of the second quarter, the Titans fought back hitting Toledo early and often, including a three pointer from McCormick as well as a basket from Corcoran to pull within five points, 27-22. Sophomore guard Jiera Shears scored a bucket with 7:12 left to pull the Titans to within one, 27-26. A 9-2 scoring run helped Detroit Mercy take the lead on a triple by Starks and a layup from Moore with 4:31 left in the first half to make it 31-29.

The red, white and blue scored 41 points in the opening half and took a lead, 41-40, with 1:03 left in the opening half on a bucket on the block by Fox. Toledo hit a 3-pointer with five seconds left in the second quarter to take a 43-41 halftime advantage. 
 
Toledo would take an eight-point lead in the middle of the third quarter, but Detroit Mercy chipped away at the Rockets' advantage. Shears knocked down a 3-pointer off an assist by Fox and then an and-one conversion and free throw by Bridgid Fox with 1:13 left in the third stanza had the Titans down just one, 55-54.

The Rockets would go on a run at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth to take command of the contest. Moore had six points for the Titans down the stretch in the final 10 minutes for the Titans, with Corcoran assisting on two of those buckets.
 
The Titans shot 42 percent as a team from the field and 5-for-19 from 3-point range. They also finished with a season-low 11 turnovers while turning their opponents over 14 times and finishing with 32 points in the paint. Toledo finished the game with 44 total rebounds besting the Titans by eight, 44-32, including 27 on the defensive end.

Titan News & Notes
• Starks scored in double figures for the sixth time in her Titan career.
• Fox had career-highs with 14 points and nine rebounds, adding two assists.
• Corcoran's five assists were a career-best and a Titan season-high.
• Starks' four made 3-pointers were a career-high and the sixth time this season she has sank multiple triples in a game.
• Detroit Mercy shot above 40-percent for the fifth time in 10 games and third time in the past four contests.
• The 11 turnovers by the Titans tied a season-low with the season opener against Loyola.
• It was the 30th meeting between the two programs in women's basketball (Toledo leads series, 9-21).

Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to play next weekend on Saturday, Dec. 21, hosting Mid-American Conference opponent Eastern Michigan in the final non-league game for the Titans before opening Horizon League play the following Saturday against Oakland. Both games are set to start at noon from Calihan Hall. Next Saturday's game against the Eagles is a doubleheader with the Titan men's basketball team, as they host SIU-Edwardsville.