VALPARAISO, Ind. (12-21-24) - Fresh off a 24-point performance on Wednesday, Fifth-year senior
Aaliyah McQueen took it to another level, dropping a huge double-double, scoring a Titan career-high 30 points on 11-for-15 shooting, 4-for-5 from 3-point range and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line while grabbing 11 rebounds with two steals and a block to lead Detroit Mercy to a thrilling 79-71 double-overtime win at Valparaiso on Saturday afternoon.
UDM had four total players in double figures as freshman
Kailey Starks poured in a career-high 16 points, going 6-for-11 from the field, just missing a double-double with nine boards and three steals. Graduate student
Emaia O'Brien also just missed a double-double with 14 points, nine rebounds, and four steals defensively, while sophomore
Makayla Jackson added 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
Detroit Mercy (8-2) turned up the defense when they needed it the most, holding Valparaiso (4-7) to only four points off a pair of free throws and a layup in the second overtime frame while opening on a 6-0 run to take a 73-67 lead and never looked back. O'Brien added a pair of free throws and a jumper while Starks also hit a jumper with 29 seconds left to seal the Titans' final non-conference win of the season.
In the fourth quarter, Starks tied the game at 61-16 with a layup with 1:35 to go. Neither team could connect from the field down the stretch, and the Titans dodged a bullet as Valpo's Maci Rhodes' 3-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer sending the game into overtime.
In the first overtime, McQueen hits a jumper in the paint, tying the game at 67-67 with 34 seconds left. The Titan defense forced a turnover with six ticks left. However, it was the Beacons who caught a break as O'Brien's jumper to win the game at the buzzer was off the mark, sending the game into a second overtime.
The Beacons took their first lead of the game at 28-27 to open the third quarter and outscored the Titans 23-20 to lead by one point, 48-47, heading into the fourth.
The Titans opened the game on a 15-5 run before Valpo closed out the first quarter on a 6-0 run to trail 15-11. The second quarter was evenly matched as Valpo outscored UDM 14-12, but the Titans were able to hold a slim two-point lead at the half, 27-25, thanks to 11 points from McQueen.
After the Holiday break, Detroit Mercy resumes #HLWBB play at Robert Morris on Sat., Dec. 28 at 2 p.m. on ESPN+
