DETROIT (2-3-23) - Senior
Imani McNeal scored a team-high 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting while junior
Irene Murua just missed a double-double with eight points and eight rebounds as Detroit Mercy gave Green Bay all they could handle in a defensive battle before coming up short 56-47 against the #HLWBB second place Phoenix on Friday night at Calihan Hall. Green Bay's 56 points were their third-lowest scoring output of the season. Sophomore
Emma Trawally Porta also had eight points while junior
Jada Moorehead added seven points while grabbing a career-high eight rebounds in her double-double attempt.
Junior
Lucia Fleta Robles chipped in with six points while freshman
Myonna Hooper grabbed six rebounds with three points.
Trailing 40-28 at the end of the third quarter and 44-30 at the 7:13 mark of the fourth, Detroit Mercy (3-19, 1-12 HL) went on a 12-4 run trail by six points at 48-42 with 1:34 to go. Green Bay (18-4, 11-2 HL) missed a 3-pointer but got the offensive rebound followed by a Bailey Butler jumper while being fouled in the process. Butler completed the 3-point trip making the ensuing free throw moving the Phoenix back ahead by nine points, 51-41, with just 44 seconds left. McNeal came down and rattled in a 3-pointer to pull the Titans within five points at 52-47 with 14 seconds to go. Detroit Mercy fouled to try and extend the game but Green Bay cashed in on their last four trips to the free throw line to seal the road win.
Lock-down defense was front and center in the first half, especially in the first quarter for both teams, as Green Bay led only 4-2 by the first media time-out at the 4:27 mark. The Phoenix scored the next five points to take a 9-2 lead at the end of the frame.
Moorehead opened the second quarter by knocking down a jumper for Detroit Mercy's second field goal of the game. Trawally Porta got going down scoring six points to spark a 6-0 run which cut the Titans' deficit to only seven points at the half, 21-14.
Detroit Mercy's four-game #HLWBB home stand concludes against Milwaukee for the Pink Out Game on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m.
