DETROIT (11/20/2021) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team put the pressure on all game long, coming away with 14 steals, and nearly pulling out the win as the Titans fell to Youngstown State, 64-56, on Saturday afternoon at Calihan Hall.

The Titans (0-4, 0-2 HL) forced 18 turnovers with 14 of those coming via the steal, while holding Youngstown State (4-0, 2-0 HL) to 4-of-18 from the outside. Detroit Mercy had a 22-11 advantage on points off turnovers, 11-5 edge on second-chance points and a 17-5 clip on fast-break points.  

Sophomore Irene Murua tallied 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds for her first career double-double. Graduate senior Daija Moses had 12 points and six rebounds and graduate senior Brandi Washington netted 10 points. with five boards, two assists, a block and a steal. 

The defense was led by graduate senior Sydney Searcy, who scored seven points with four assists, three rebounds and a career-best six steals. 

In a game that saw 10 ties and 14 lead changes, the Titans twice took a lead with less than six minutes to go in the game. Moses had an offensive rebound and putback to make it 52-51 with 5:22 left and she had another basket with 3:41 to go to give the red, white and blue a 54-53 advantage. 

YSU then scored eight-straight points and ended the game on an 11-2 run.

The Titans had an early 8-0 run to take an 11-6 lead just four minutes in. Off an offensive rebound, Murua had a layup and then junior Imani McNeal and Moses nailed triples, but YSU would end the first on a 12-1 spurt for an 18-12 advantage.

In the second, YSU had a 20-13 lead, but then the Titan defense created havoc that resulted in 12-straight points and a 15-2 explosion to jump out in front, 28-22, with 4:23 left. Washington started it with a triple and then Searcy came up with a steal and a basket. Another offensive board from Murua led to a layup from Moses and that was followed by back-to-back steals from Searcy, with McNeal and Murua getting buckets for a 24-22 lead at the 5:36 mark. Another Searcy steal led to a Murua layup and yet another theft from her sent the upperclassmen to the line and she connected on both for the 28-22 advantage. Later on, Washington nailed a 3-pointer for a 33-28 lead and the contest went into the break tied at 35-35. 

Both teams' defenses took control in the third as both teams were 1-of-6 in the first five minutes of the quarter. YSU took the lead, but the Titans regained it as McNeal had a steal and that would lead to a layup from Washington and a 42-41 lead with 2:55 left. Sophomore Lucia Fleta Robles hit a free throw for a 43-41 advantage, but the quarter ended in another tie at 45-45. 

In the fourth, both teams traded baskets early and the Titans had the lead twice until the YSU run to end the game.

The Titans will now step out of conference as they head to Jesuit-rival Canisius on Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. tip.