DETROIT (12/8/21) - Graduate Student Monique Pruitt posted a team-high and season second-best 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting and 3-of-4 from the free throw line with five rebounds as Detroit Mercy came out on the short end of a defensive battle falling 58-51 to visiting Western Michigan on Wednesday night at Calihan Hall. Graduate student Brandi Washington continued her hot shooting from 3-point range adding 12 points on 4-for-8 from downtown with  four steals, three boards and two assists. Washington has now hit four 3-pointers in back-to-back games.

Sophomore Irene Murua added seven points with four rebounds going a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line while grad student Sydney Searcy chipped in with six points going 2-for-2 from the charity stripe while dishing out a season-high five assists. Freshman Akyia Baker also delivered a career-high six assists.

Detroit Mercy (0-9) shot a season-best 10-for-11 (90.9%) from the free throw line. Defensively, the Titans slowed down Western Michigan's (6-2) offense to 58 points which had been averaging over 70 points per game. The Titans also forced WMU to a season-high 25 turnovers leading to 18 points while grabbing 13 steals.

Offensively, Detroit's lack of scoring in the first and third quarter scoring nine and eight points respectively proved to be too much to overcome. 

The Titans opened the second quarter on a 9-3 run to pull within one point followed by a pair of Searcy free throws which capped off an 11-5 run to tie the game at 21-21. Both teams exchanged baskets back and fourth down the stretch as WMU took a 29-27 lead at the half.

Trailing by 13 points, 57-44, with 3:35 left in the fourth quarter, the Titans closed out the frame on a 7-1 run but that would be as close as they would get.

Detroit Mercy concludes non-conference play against North Dakota on Saturday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. at Calihan Hall.