TOLEDO, Ohio (12/5/2020) --  Junior guard Kaela Webb tallied her second 25-point game as a Titan finishing with a game and career-high 29 points, but a Toledo run in the second half took the red, white and blue out of its rhythm as the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball squad dropped a 75-65 road contest on Saturday afternoon from Savage Arena. 

Webb was 11-of-25 from the field with three 3-pointers as her 29 points was the most by a Titan since Rosanna Reynolds had 32 at Oakland in January 2017. Sophomore guard Sylare Starks netted 13 points with three assists, two rebounds and two steals, while junior Alicia Norman posted eight points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals for the Titans. 

The Titans (0-4) showed toughness and effort again as they staged a rally down the stretch to cut in a half a 20-point Toledo (2-0) lead. Webb was the catalyst with a pair of 3-pointers to make it a 67-53 game with 4:32 left, igniting an 18-8 spurt to end the game. Minutes later, Hoskin pulled down an offensive board and went back up for the basket, and after holding the Rockets scoreless on their next possession, Norman found Webb and her jumper had the team down by just 12, 71-59, with 1:48 on the clock.

Another empty possession by Toledo led to Webb getting fouled and her two free throws had the score at 71-61 with over a minute to go, but that was as close as they would get. Hoskin finished with five points, four rebounds and three steals, while sophomore forward Bridgid Fox tallied six points and five boards, hitting all four free throws.

The Titans were hot all day at the free-throw line connecting on 17-of-19 (89.5%), while shooting 37.9% from the field. Detroit Mercy had nine steals in the contest and forced 15 Rocket turnovers.

The Titans got behind early, 5-0, before Starks hit a 3-pointer to open the Titan scoring. Hoskin then got inside for a bucket and was fouled, hitting the free throw and a three-point play by Webb gave the Titans a 9-8 lead at the 5:59 mark. Webb then hit a shot to increase that advantage to 11-8 a minute later. Webb would continue her hot play giving the Titans another lead, 13-12, with a bucket with 2:52 remaining, but Toledo jumped ahead, 19-15, after the first quarter.

Norman started the second quarter breaking down the defense and getting to the rim again for a score and two free throws by Starks tied it at 19-19 with 7:19 remaining before halftime. The Rockets then reeled off seven-straight points, but Starks ended that with a basket to pull the team within five points, 26-21. 

Toledo went ahead again by double digits, 31-21, but Norman found redshirt junior Nicole Johanson for an easy layup and a jumper by Webb cut the deficit to just six, 31-25, with 2:13 on the clock. Webb also had a basket down the stretch and the team trailed at the break, 36-27. Webb had 11 at the half, while Starks had seven. 

Starks began the third quarter with a jumper, but Toledo would pick up the pace and open a 48-30 lead just 4 minutes into the period. Webb ended that with another jumper and off a steal, Norman followed up with a layup and a foul, hitting the free throw to cut it to 48-35, but the Rockets still maintained the lead, 60-40, after three.

The Titans out-scored Toledo in the final stanza, 25-15, with Webb scoring 15 points in the last quarter for the Titans as the red, white and blue closed the gap quickly.

Detroit Mercy shot 22-of-58 from the floor (37.9%) and 4-of-18 from outside the arc (22.2%). Norman had five of the nine Titan assists.

Quinesha Lockett led Toledo with 17 points.

Titan News & Notes
• Webb's 29 points were the most for a Titan player since Rosanna Reynolds scored 32 against Oakland on Jan. 7, 2017.
• She surpassed her career-high of 25 points, scored just two games ago against Indiana State on Nov. 29 in the Titans' second game of the season.
• It was Webb's 30th career game scoring in double figures and third career game scoring 20 or more points.
• Starks was in double figures for the second-straight game and 19th in her young Titan career.
• Norman has a team-best 14 assists through four games and now two games of five or more assists in her Titan career.
• The Titans 89.5% clip from the free throw line (17-of-19) was a season-high and highest since the program shot 93.8% (15-of-16) at Michigan on Nov. 19, 2018.
• It was the 31st meeting all-time between the two programs (Toledo leads series, 22-9).

Up Next
Detroit Mercy will be back in action next Saturday, Dec. 12, when it opens Horizon League play by hosting Wright State at 2:00 p.m., the first of back-to-back games against the Raiders with Sunday's contest also tipping at 2:00 p.m. from Calihan Hall.