DETROIT (2/19/22) - Sophomore Irene Murua scored 12 points in the third quarter to match her career-high 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting coming just one rebound shy of a double-double with nine while dishing out three assists with two steals as the Detroit Mercy posted its highest point total of the season pushing Cleveland State to the limit before falling 74-70 on Saturday afternoon at Calihan Hall. Graduate students Janna Lewis and Daija Moses put forth solid efforts on Senior Day as Lewis scored 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting and 5-for-6 from the free throw line with five rebounds and three assists while Moses scored all of her 12 points in the second half on 5-for-10 shooting with seven rebounds.

Sophomore Lucia Fleta Robles added eight points on 2-for-3 shooting from long range and has now made a 3-pointer in nine consecutive games. Junior Imani McNeal had seven points to lead the Titans (1-25. 1-18 HL) in the first quarter along with four assists. Graduate student Tori Powell and senior Monique Pruitt each chipped in with six points.

Detroit Mercy also shot a season best 5-for-10 (50%) from 3-point range and held a 22-16 points of turnovers and 20-8 second chance points advantage over CSU (17-6, 12-5HL).

Moses opened the fourth quarter with four points while Murua added a layup as Detroit Mercy pulled within five points (60-55) and six points (65-59) but CSU's Destiny Leo answered with a 3-point basket each time to increase the Vikings' lead. Trailing 73-63 with 2:03 remaining, The Titans went on a 5-0 run to pull to 72-68 with 58 seconds left. After CSU missed a pair of free throws with 11 seconds remaining, Moses sank two free throws with five seconds left. However, the Vikings made both free throws after Detroit Mercy was forced to foul and then got a steal as time expired to seal the game. 

Detroit Mercy opened the second half on a 5-0 run moving to a 12-8 spurt overall to pull within seven points at 41-48 with Murua scoring seven points. Lewis made a tough layup and added a free throw to pull Detroit Mercy within three points (54-51) with 1:12 left. Murua was on fire in the frame scoring 12 points while Lewis added five points as the Titans out scored CSU 22-16 to only trail by five points at 56-51 going into the fourth quarter.

In the first quarter, the Titans matched CSU blow-for-blow only trailing by three points with McNeal scoring seven points. The Vikings outscored the Titans 22-14 to take a 40-29 lead into the locker room at the half.

Both teams will play again as part of a make-up game on Monday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.