MILWAUKEE (3-2-26) - No. 11 seed Detroit Mercy had three players reach double figures in graduate student
Jasmine Edwards (17 pts.), junior
Makayla Jackson (17 pts.), and graduate student
Aaliyah McQueen (15 pts.), who led the Titans to a thrilling 69-67 play-in game win over No. 10 seed Milwaukee in 2026 Barbasol #HLWBB Championship action on Monday night. With the win, the Titans travel to No. 1 seed, Green Bay, on Wednesday, Mar. 4 at 8 p.m. ET. The victory also marks the first time UDM has won three consecutive HL Tournament opening round games since the 2011-2013 seasons.
Edwards shot 6-for-12 from the field with seven rebounds, while Jackson went 7-for-11 with five assists, four rebounds, a block, and a steal. McQueen shot 6-for-17 while grabbing a team-best eight boards with four assists and three steals.
Graduate student
Nisea Burrell added nine points while sophomore
Anna Lassan chipped in with eight points, including back-to-back clutch buckets in the fourth quarter.
Detroit Mercy posted a season-second-best 16 assists on 28 made baskets. Defensively, the Titans had 20 points off 14 Milwaukee turnovers with nine steals and 42 points in the paint.
UDM's defense and clutch play offensively down the stretch proved to be the difference. Trailing 64-61 in the fourth quarter, Lassan connected on a driving layup, followed by an Edwards steal, which Lassan cashed in, hitting a crucial jumper giving UDM a 65-64 lead with 3:49 to go. Burrell added a layup, and Jackson connected on a layup after a Milwaukee free throw, moving the Titans ahead 69-65 with 1:11 remaining.
Edwards posted a crucial block on the Panthers' ensuing possession, but the Titans couldn't add to their lead. Milwaukee sank a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left to trail 69-67. Graduate student
Kailee Davis missed a pair of free throws with 14 ticks left, but the Titan defense stood tall, shutting down the lane and forcing Milwaukee to take a desperation 3-pointer for the win, which was an airball.
The Panthers made their move in the third quarter, outscoring the Titans 24-16 to take a 55-53 lead, setting the stage for the dramatic fourth quarter.
In the first half, defenses on both sides were on point to open the game. McQueen had both of UDM's hoops as the Titans trailed 6-4 by the five-minute media timeout. After a pair of Edwards free throws, Burrell stole the ball and connected on a fast-break-and-1 layup, giving UDM their first lead of the game at 9-6. The Titans made 7-of-8 free throws to close out the frame on an 11-7 clip to lead 17-11.
Conversely, in the second quarter, both offenses picked up the pace significantly. Detroit Mercy scored 20 points, going 8-for-14 (57.1%) with a pair of 3-pointers, while Milwaukee also hit 8-for-13 (61.5%), two long-range buckets, as both teams scored 20 points with the Titans leading 37-31 at the break.
