YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (12-18-24) - Fifth-year senior
Aaliyah McQueen graduate student
Emaia O'Brien put on quite a show as they combined for 44 points, leading Detroit Mercy to a 65-58 come-from-behind win over Youngstown State in #HLWBB action on Wednesday night at the Zidian Family Arena at the Beeghly Center. This marked the first road win of the season and moved the Titans to 7-2 to start the season for the first time in 43 years since the 1981-82 season.
McQueen just missed a double-double scoring a Titan career-high 24 points on 8-for-15 from the field, 6-for-7 from the free throw line, with a pair of triples while grabbing nine rebounds with three blocks. O'Brien added 20 points going 9-for-12 from the charity stripe with a triple. McQueen and O'Brien's performances marked the first time a tandem of Titan players each scored 20 points or more since Anja Marinkovic (20) and Nicole Urbanick (20) vs. UIC on Dec. 31, 2016.
Senior
Katie Burton added five points with sophomore
Makayla Jackson chipping in with four points.
After trailing 23-8 in the first quarter, UDM (7-2,2-0 HL) put down the clamps defensively the rest of the way, while the offense caught fire in the second half, which proved to be the difference. The Titans went on to outscore YSU (6-6, 2-1 HL) 16-11 to pull within 10 points at the half, 34-24.
UDM got to work in the third quarter, converting on 2-of-3 and-1 opportunities, cutting the deficit to five points, 41-36 with 5:02 left in the frame. The Titans then sank their next five free throw attempts, followed by a 3-pointer from McQueen, to outscore the Penguins 20-11 to pull within a point at 45-44 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final frame, McQueen connected on a fast break coast-to-coast layup, giving UDM their first lead of the game, 50-49, at the 7:09 mark. After O'Brien connected on a layup, YSU drained a triple, tying the game at 54-54. Junior
Myonna Hooper and O'Brien then hit back-to-back jumpers, moving UDM back up by four points, 58-54, with 1:24 to go. McQueen then converted another and-1 layup and hit the ensuing free throw, capping off a 7-0 run, putting the Titans up for good at 61-54 with 44 ticks remaining. UDM then sealed the deal from the free throw line, outscoring the Penguins 21-13 overall en route to their second conference win of the season.
Detroit Mercy will play their final non-conference game of the season at Valparaiso on Sat., Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. on ESPN+
