CHICAGO, Ill. (12/19/2020) -- University of Detroit Mercy junior Kaela Webb scored a game-high 23 points, sophomore Markyia McCormick added 18 points and sophomore Bridgid Fox tallied her first career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, but the Titans came up just short in overtime on the road to host UIC, 76-72.

The Titans and Flames were all knotted up after regulation, 64-64, as UIC's last-second deep 3-point attempt hit the back iron and fell away. In overtime, junior forward Nicole Johanson helped win the tip and then scored just seconds later off a pass from junior Alicia Norman. Just 20 seconds later, Norman grabbed a steal and fed a sprinting Webb, who scored easily on a layup as Detroit Mercy went ahead 68-64 just 34 seconds into the extra frame.

UIC, however, would score four-straight points in the next 30 seconds to again tie the game up, 68-68, with four minutes left. Neither team could get on the scoreboard in the next 100 seconds until UIC's Jada Nneji made 1-of-2 free throws to give the Flames a 69-68 lead with 2:15 remaining. After a Detroit Mercy miss, the Flames hit a 3-pointer from the wing to take a four-point lead, 72-68, with 1:19 left. Titan junior Maxine Moore was then fouled underneath the basket and made 1-of-2 from the free-throw line to bring the Titans to within one possession again, 72-69.

After a UIC free throw, McCormick found Webb off a pick and the junior made a 3-pointer from the wing to cut the UIC lead to one, 73-72, with less than 10 seconds left. The Titans fouled immediately and the Flames again split a pair to take a 74-72 lead with just five seconds remaining. The Titans' inbounds pass was just off the mark on the ensuing play and UIC clinched the game, sinking two free throws with less than a second on the clock.

As with many Titans and Flames matchups over the past several seasons, the game was close throughout with the largest lead for either side eight points. The lead changed five times and the game was tied at seven different junctures. Detroit Mercy shot the ball well, hitting 25-for-56 (44.6%) of its attempts from the floor. The Titans also out-rebounded UIC, 42-33, and had 15 offensive rebounds in the contest. The red, white and blue assisted on 17 of its 25 field goals and had nine steals.

The Titans went ahead 5-0 early off a McCormick long jumper and junior Sylare Starks' 3-pointer. Detroit Mercy held a 9-6 lead at the media timeout of the first quarter, but UIC led after the opening stanza 22-18, as both offenses were clicking early in the contest. The Flames went ahead 25-18 early in the second quarter on a 3-pointer, but the Titans closed the gap quickly. Detroit Mercy was within two points, 29-27, after Webb converted on an old-fashioned 3-point play midway through the second. Later, Webb sank a triple on the fast break to tie the game, 32-32, and at the halftime break, Detroit Mercy trailed by just two points, 36-34.

Webb scored the first four Titan points of the second half, but UIC would take its largest advantage of the contest, 48-40, with 2:54 left in the third quarter. The Titans then closed the third on a 6-2 run with McCormick scoring all six points on an old-fashioned 3-point play and then a deeper version by McCormick with 45 seconds left in the frame, off an assist by sophomore Sammiyah Hoskin. The run brought the Titans to within four, 50-46, after three stanzas.

The Titans continued their run in the fourth quarter tying the game, 50-50, in the first minute after Fox scored off another pass from Hoskin and Webb sinking a jumper. The Titans took the lead, 56-55, on a pair of McCormick free throws with 6:31 left in the stanza. Moore then sank a jumper at the 5:58 mark and McCormick scored on a lay-up as Detroit Mercy held its largest lead of the contest, 60-55, with 4:10 left on the clock. Later, Webb made a pair of free throws as Detroit Mercy led 64-58 with 1:40 remaining.

UIC then made a lay-up and then sank a 3-pointer just seconds later after a Detroit Mercy turnover. UIC made 1-of-2 free throws with just 10 seconds left in regulation and the Titans were unable to get another look at the rim as the teams headed to overtime.

Fox made 6-of-8 shots from the floor and had a career-high 11 rebounds, the most for a Titan player this season. She also had two steals. Hoskin added six boards, three assists and three steals, while McCormick, Norman and Webb each had four assists for the Titans. McCormick was 4-of-7 from the field and 9-of-12 from the free-throw line, scoring a season-high 18.

Daijah Smith had 22 points and nine rebounds to lead UIC (2-4, 1-2 HL).

Titan News & Notes
• It was the Titans' first overtime game in over four years with the last coming in an 83-81 road setback at East Carolina on Nov. 13, 2016.
• Fox's previous career-high in rebounds was nine, which she achieved against Toledo during her freshman season in 2019-20.
• Webb scored more than 20 points for the fourth time this season and fifth in her collegiate career.
• McCormick was one point off her career-high of 19 points, set last season against Eastern Michigan; She has three games of 17 or more points.
• Norman entered the game with a league-high 21 assists, adding four more against UIC.
• The 44.6% shooting percentage was a season-high and the highest since the squad shot 47.4% in a win over Cleveland State last season on Jan. 16, 2020.
• It was 58th all-time meeting between the two programs (Titans lead series, 33-25).

Up Next
The Titans are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 20, against the Flames in Chicago, closing out the two-game series against UIC. Detroit Mercy then returns to action on Friday, Jan. 1, with the Titans hosting Milwaukee from Calihan Hall in a 5 p.m. ET contest on New Years Day.