The Basics
Final Score: #4-Northern Kentucky 94, #9-Detroit Mercy 47
Records: Detroit Mercy 3-27, Northern Kentucky 19-11
Location: Highland Heights, Ky. (BB&T Arena)

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (3/3/2020) -- Senior Zoey Oatis and freshman Markyia McCormick each scored 12 points, but the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team dropped its first round game of the Horizon League Championship to No. 4 seed Northern Kentucky, 94-47, on Tuesday evening from BB&T Arena.

In her final collegiate game, Oatis had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor. McCormick, making her first collegiate start, added 12 points for the red, white and blue, while freshman forward Bridgid Fox had six points and a team-high seven rebounds for the Titans.

The Titans, who were without the services of freshman point guard Annika Corcoran, got off to a good start in the contest, as after NKU scored six of the first eight points, the Titans went on an 8-2 run to take a 10-8 lead at the 5:17 mark of the first quarter. McCormick and Fox each converted on two field goals in the early stages of the game, before Oatis sank a pair of free throws to give Detroit Mercy a 10-8 lead.

The Norse would go on a run of their own, however, in the remaining minutes of the first quarter before sophomore guard Jiera Shears ended to run with a running lay-up in the final minute of the opening stanza. NKU continued its run in the early minutes of the second quarter to take a double-digit lead over the Titans.

McCormick, who led the Titans with eight points in the first half, then sank consecutive field goals within 36 seconds of one another to end the Norse run midway through the second quarter. NKU shot 50-percent in the first half and led after the opening two quarters, 44-22.

Oatis had six points in the third quarter for Detroit Mercy, but NKU pulled away in the frame and the second half from the Titans. Sophomore forward Nicole Johanson had two blocks for the Titans.

The Titans shot 36-percent (18-for-50) in the game and knocked down just one 3-pointer, while NKU hit 10 triples and shot 50-percent from the floor (35-for-70). Detroit Mercy lost the rebounding battle (44-29) and turned the ball over 20 times as Northern Kentucky had 12 steals in the contest. The Titans shot 10-of-14 from the free throw line (71.4 percent).

Four Norse players were in double figures led by Carissa Garcia's 17 points.

Titan News & Notes
• Senior Zoey Oatis scored in double figures for the 24th time in her Titan career, while McCormick was in doubles for the seventh time in 2019-20.
• It was the final game in the red, white and blue for Oatis, who finished her career with 98 games played (58 starts), recording more than 575 points, 350 rebounds, 120 steals and 50 blocks.
• McCormick had come off the bench in all 29 games in her freshman campaign for the Titans before starting in Tuesday's season finale.
• Freshman guard Sylare Starks became the 10th player in Titan freshman history to surpass 300 points in a rookie season (302 points).
• The Titans met the Norse for the second-straight time in the first round of the Horizon League Championship (the two also met in 2018).
• It was the 12th meeting in women's basketball between the Titans and Norse (NKU holds series lead, 9-3).