DETROIT (11-13-22) - With 3.5 seconds remaining and Detroit Mercy clinging to three-point lead, freshman
Myonna Hooper calmly stepped up and hit two clutch free throws to ice the game giving the Titans a 70-65 win over Canisius in the home opener on Sunday afternoon at Calihan Hall
. The win snapped a 24-game home court losing skid. Junior
Irene Murua posted her first double-double of the season and was one of four players in double figures scoring a team-high 16 points while grabbing 11 rebounds with three steals. Hooper finished with 12 points going 8-for-12 from the charity stripe with two assists.
Senior
Imani McNeal added a season-high 14 points while grabbing a career-best nine rebounds just missing a double-double with two assists. Freshman
Amaya Burch also had 12 points with six rebounds. Sophomore
Emma Trawally Porta led the way defensively posting four blocks for the third straight game while hauling in a career-best 13 rebounds with six points and two assists.
In addition to Hooper's game-ending free throws, the Titans (1-2) were solid all game going 22-for-28 (78.6%) with four players in Murua (2-2), Trwally Porta (2-2), McNeal (5-5) and freshman
Maite Lara Garcia (2-2) were perfect from the line.
In the third quarter, Detroit Mercy opened with a 12-4 run to take a 11 point lead, 43-42. McNeal converted an and-1 opportunity giving the Titans a 17 point lead followed by a strong take by junior
Lucia Fleta Robles as the Titans outscored the Golden Griffins (1-2) 26-9 in the third to take a 20 point lead at 57-37.
However, Canisius turned up the pressure and went to a full court press to open the fourth quarter, going on a 14-4 run midway to trail by 10 at 61-51 with 2:53 to go. The pressure continued as the Golden Griffins clawed their way back to a five-point deficit at 65-60 with 38 seconds to go. Hooper added a free throw followed by a pair from McNeal to go up again by five points, 67-62. Canisius would not go away as they converted a three-point play to pull within three points, 68-65, with seven seconds left. McNeal then inbonded the ball off the back of a Canisius defender to herself and then got the ball to Hooper who was fouled to set the stage for her clutch game-winning free throws.
In the first half, Canisius opened the second quarter on a 10-3 run before junior
Ambranette Storr hit a nice runner to maintain a six point lead, 27-21. Canisius went on to outscore the Titans 19-10 overall and cut the deficit to three, 31-28, points at the half.
Detroit Mercy opened the game on a 7-0 run and pushed it to 12-2 mark by the first media timeout. The Titan's run extended to 16-2 as they went on to outscore Canisius 21-9 to end the first quarter.
Detroit Mercy travels to instate foe Western Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.
