GREEN BAY, Wis. (1/9/2021) -- Behind a strong defensive effort and timely shooting, the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team battled all game long with host Green Bay, coming up just short in the final minutes of the contest in a 61-48 setback Saturday from the Kress Events Center.
The Titans, who, made six 3-pointers in the opening half and led 29-28 at the halftime break, used a 12-5 run to tie the game 43-43 at the 7:26 mark in the fourth quarter after a steal and lay-up by junior
Kaela Webb, but Green Bay would go on a run to finish the contest to spoil the Titans' upset bid on the road.
Webb led the Titans in scoring for the second-straight game with 15 points, adding two steals, and sophomore guard
Annika Corcoran posted nine points, five rebounds, four assists and one block for the red, white and blue. Sophomore forward
Bridgid Fox added seven points and junior
Cierra Harrison had six points and six boards.
The Titans connected on eight 3-pointers in the contest overall with Corcoran and Webb each sinking three triples apiece.
Green Bay scored the game's first five points until senior
Aly Reiff drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Reiff scored five points early as Detroit Mercy tied the game, 7-7, on her lay-up with 3:21 left in the opening frame. Corcoran made her first 3-pointer the next time into the offensive end and Fox scored off a pass from Corcoran as the Titans led after one, 12-11.
The Titans then used the 3-pointer to extend their advantage in the opening half, hitting three triples in the first 2:30 of the second quarter. Corcoran sank a trey on the first possession of the second stanza and Webb followed just 49 seconds later with her own as the Titans led 18-13. Corcoran then found sophomore guard
Sylare Starks, who sank another long ball at the 7:47 mark as the Titans held a 21-17 lead.
Webb made Detroit Mercy's fourth consecutive 3-point shot as Detroit Mercy extended its lead to seven, 24-17, with 6:44 left in the first half. After a Green Bay run pulled the Phoenix within one, 24-23, the Titans stopped the run as
Markyia McCormick made a jumper at the 2:19 mark and then was fouled, finishing the 3-point play by making the first half's lone free throw for either team. Just seconds later, Harrison stole the ball and finished with a jumper at the other end and it would prove to be the Titans' last field goal of the half as they held a 29-28 lead at the break.
The Phoenix scored the first series of points in the third quarter until Harrison ended the run by grabbing an offensive rebound off her miss and then scoring on a tough lay-up. Green Bay would go ahead 38-31, but the Titans closed the third stanza on an 8-3 spurt with Corcoran hitting another 3-pointer, Fox making 3-of-4 from the free-throw line and Harrison sinking a pair of free throws in the final 10 seconds of the frame. The run pulled the Titans to within two, 41-39, heading into the fourth quarter.
A Webb jumper tied the game, 41-41, to open the fourth-quarter scoring and following a Green Bay bucket, Webb intercepted a pass and then finished at the other end to again tie the game, 43-43, with 7:26 left. The Titans, which were whistled for a series of fouls early in the quarter, saw Green Bay in the bonus early and the Phoenix took advantage sinking four-straight from the line after a 3-pointer to take a 50-43 lead.
Webb ended the mini-run with a 3-pointer that beat the shot clock buzzer as the Titans were within four, 50-46, with 4:49 remaining.
Green Bay, however, made a 3-pointer of its own the next time down the court and made several trips to the free-throw line to extend the advantage in the final three minutes of the contest.
Like Friday's contest when Detroit Mercy went 11-of-23 from long range, the Titans were efficient again from deep, hitting 8-of-24 (33.3%). In addition, the red, white and blue held Green Bay to 5-of-23 shooting (21.7%) from beyond the 3-point arc.
Detroit Mercy was 6-of-7 (85.7%) from the free-throw line and had seven steals in the contest, going over 100 for the season. The Titans held Green Bay under their scoring average (66 points entering weekend) in both games over the two-game series Friday and Saturday.
Titan News & Notes
• Webb scored in double figures for the 10th time this season and made three 3-pointers for the sixth time in 2020-21.
• Corcoran set a new career-high in rebounds, while tying her career-best with three 3-pointers made.
• The Titans made 19, 3-pointers across the two games against Green Bay a high over a two-game stretch this season.
• With 15 points on Saturday, Webb went across 800 career points (810) in her Division I career (598 for Providence, 212 for Titans).
• The Titans have 103 steals in 2020-21, tallying seven or more thefts in 10 of 12 contests.
• It was the 63rd all-time meeting between the two longtime Horizon League foes.
Up Next
The Titans return home next weekend, facing Metro Series rival Oakland in a pair of games, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 15-16, from Calihan Hall. Both games may be seen live via ESPN3.com and the WatchESPN Applications.
