ROCHESTER, Mich. (2-20-23) - Out of a timeout with Detroit Mercy trailing 64-63 with 16.2 seconds left in the game,
senior
Imani McNeal broke free and converted a layup giving the Titans a 65-64 lead with 11.8 ticks left. Oakland freshman Brooke Quarles-Daniels answered with a bucket giving the Golden Grizzlies the lead back with 4.5 seconds remaining. After a time-out to advance the ball, junior
Irene Murua took the inbounds pass, dribbled out of a double team, and sent a pass to freshman
Amaya Burch who caught the ball but could not get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded as the Titans lost a 66-65 heart-breaker at arch-rival Oakland in Metro Series action at the O'rena on Monday night.
Murua led the way for the Detroit Mercy (5-22, 3-15 HL) pouring in a career-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line just missing a double-double with nine rebounds. Sophomore
Emma Trawally Porta recorded her third career double-double with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 4-for-5 from the charity stripe while grabbing a career-best 16 rebounds with four blocks defensively. McNeal finished with 10 points and five boards while Burch added seven points. Freshman
Myonna Hooper chipped in with four points, four assists and three rebounds. The Titans shot a season-best 27-for-52 (51.9%) from the field.
The fourth quarter was a slugfest down the stretch as Murua converted an and-1 opportunity followed by a Burch 3-ball and Hooper lay-up that capped off an 8-0 run moving the Titans ahead 59-54 with 6:12 remaining. Oakland (12-15, 7-11 HL) then scored the next five points off two buckets coupled with a free throw to tie the game at 59-59 with 2:48 left. Trawally Porta added a lay-up followed by two more free throws as the Titans regained the lead, 63-59, at the 2:36 mark. The Golden Grizzles then added the next five points to move ahead by one point, 64-63, with 1:52 left. Murua then had a lay-up rim out but Quarles-Daniels' jumper also rimmed out on the ensuing possession setting the stage for the wild finish with just 16 seconds remaining.
In the third quarter, both teams battled back and forth all the way through the first media timeout before a layup by Murua gave the Titans a 45-44 lead with 3:53 left. Oakland outscored the Titans 8-4 to close of the frame with a three-point lead, 52-49.
During the first half, UDM opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run capped off by a fearless take by Hooper to tie the game at 23-23. Oakland came back with a 7-2 spurt to go up 30-25. The Titans then outscored the Golden Grizzlies by a slim 8-6 margin to trail by three points at the half, 36-33.
The intensity was high to start the game as the Titans jumped out to a 6-0 spurt followed by a 3-pointer from junior
Lucia Fleta Robles. Oakland closed the frame on an 8-0 run to take a six-point lead at 21-15.
Detroit Mercy concludes the #HLWBB regular season with a two-game road swing starting at Northern Kentucky on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.
