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CHICAGO (3/6/2014) -- Sophomore Tayelor McCalister scored a team-high 22 points, but a second-half flurry by UIC was the story as the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team fell, 83-66, on Thursday at the UIC Pavilion.

The loss drops Detroit to 6-22, 3-12 in the Horizon League, but the Titans still have a chance to finish as high as seventh and get a bye in the first round or host the 8-9 game in the Horizon League Championship.

McCalister was 9-of-14 from the field and added six assists and three rebounds. Freshman Minisha Frederick-Childress tallied a season-high 15 points and five steals, while senior Senee Shearer ended with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

It was a run and gun offensive showdown in the first half as both teams nearly had 30 points on the board in the first five minutes of play. The game was tied five times and had eight lead changes in the first 20 minutes as Detroit ended up shooting 48.5% (16-of-33) in the first half, while UIC (21-8, 10-6 HL) was at 42.5% (17-of-40).

Detroit was down 10-6 early, but a basket by freshman Haleigh Ristovski and a three from Shearer gave UDM a one-point lead. UIC went ahead by three, but back-to-back buckets from McCalister and Shearer had Detroit in front by one, 15-14, at the 15:21 mark.

Both teams were neck and neck again for the next seven minutes, but UIC was able to get on a 9-2 run to open an eight-point lead, 32-24, with 8:42 remaining. The Flames still led by eight, 34-26, when the Titans started to make a charge going on a 12-4 spurt over the next seven minutes to knot it at 38-all.

McCalister made a strong drive to the rim for a score and Shearer tied it by hitting a triple, before UIC scored the last three points for a 41-38 advantage at the break.

The Flames scored the first six points in the second half to take a 47-38 lead, but McCalister was able to answer that with four-straight points to trim the deficit to 47-42 with 15:50 remaining. After a free throw from UIC, Detroit got even closer as freshman Reyna Montgomery had a layup and Frederick-Childress was able to get inside for a score to get UDM within two, 48-46, at the 15:21 mark.

Detroit was still down only two, 50-48, when the Flames caught fire going on a 12-1 run over four minutes to open a 62-49 advantage midway through the period.

The Titans cut it to 11 a couple of times, the latest at 63-52, but UIC ran its lead to as many as 20 to pull away for the win.

Montgomery ended with five points and three rebounds, while freshman Megan Galloway had six points and two boards. Senior Megan Hatter grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and Ristovski collected four boards, two assists and scored two points.

UDM finished at 45.0% (27-of-60) in the game with 15 assists, but lost the battle of the boards, 48-36.

The Titans will end the regular season on Saturday as the red, white and blue visit Horizon League regular season champion Green Bay. UDM and the Phoenix will tip it off at 2:00 p.m. (EST) as Detroit will be playing for a chance to host an opening round playoff game and even move up to a seventh seed and get a bye in the first round.

Game Notes:
Detroit still leads the all-time series, 23-22…  McCalister's career high is 24 against Green Bay earlier in the year… Shearer moved into 14th place in school history with 1,209 points, just 21 away from 13th place and former teammate Yar Shayok… Detroit outscored UIC, 46-38, in the paint… UDM's streak of six-straight games with four or more players scoring in double figures came to an end… UDM will host the 8-9 game with a win or a Valparaiso loss to Wright State… The Titans can get a seventh seed and a bye in the opening round with a win at Green Bay, a Milwaukee loss to Oakland and a Youngstown State victory over Cleveland State.