Gameday Central
Game notes vs. Valparaiso
 
DETROIT (2/3/2015) -- The Titans will look to keep up their hot play from last game as the University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team meets Valparaiso on Thursday on Dick Vitale Court in Calihan Hall.
 
Game time is set for 7:00 p.m., with Denny Kapp calling all the action on ESPN3.com. The game will also be shown on tape delay on local Comcast 900.
 
Fans can follow every Detroit game this season through the women's basketball GAMEDAY CENTRAL page located on the Titans Athletic Website that will keep fans one click away from all the action. This page will feature links for live stats (audio and video when applicable) as well as links for all the latest info while also making it easy to find the Titans on social media and to purchase game tickets. The Gameday Central page also carries all the information on each opponent from who is leading the all-time series to who won the last game.
 
Detroit enters the game at 8-12 overall and 3-4 in the Horizon League, hoping to get back to .500 in league play. UDM has won three of its last five, including a thrilling 16-point come-from-behind victory at Youngstown State its last time out.
 
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds led the way with her fourth double-double of the season tallying 19 points and 11 rebounds. She also had a season-high seven assists.  She is currently leading the team and sixth in the HL in scoring at 15.6 points per game.
 
Darianne Seward earned the conference's Freshman of the Week for the third time this season on Monday after recording her 14th game in double figures with 10 against the Penguins. She is the second highest scoring freshman in the HL at 11.0 ppg., and is also tied for seventh with 1.7 steals per game.
 
Valparaiso has struggled since a 3-1 start and is still on the hunt for its first conference win on the year. The Crusaders are 4-16 overall and 0-7 in the Horizon League.
 
Fans, to purchase tickets or for more information, contact the Titans' Ticket Office at (313) 993-1700. The Titans' Ticket Office is located in Calihan Hall and is open Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
DETROIT VS. VALPARAISO
Detroit leads the all-time series, 12-8, but Valparaiso has won three of the last four.
 
UDM is 7-4 at home and 6-1 in the last seven match-ups in the Motor City, but the Crusaders won at Calihan Hall last season, 76-69, in the opening round of the Horizon League Championship.
 
ABOUT THE CRUSADERS
Valparaiso started the season winning three of its first four, but the Crusaders have dropped 15 of their last 16 games, including eight in a row. Valpo is 4-16 overall and 0-7 in the HL.
 
Freshman Dani Franklin leads the team and is 11th in the conference in scoring at 12.4 points per game, to go with 5.6 rebounds, second on the squad. Freshman Jasmyn Walker tops the team with 7.4 rebounds and is second at 9.5 points, while senior Jessica Carr runs the offense with 4.6 assists - fourth in the HL - along with 8.4 ppg.
 
Valparaiso is eighth in the conference in scoring at 64.7 points and ninth in scoring defense allowing 75.9 points.
 
UP NEXT
The weird Horizon League schedule will give Detroit another long layoff as the Titans will have six days off before heading to the Windy City to meet UIC on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
 
HORIZON LEAGUE HISTORY
The Titans are 218-217 all-time in the Horizon League with the 217 victories the third most in league history trailing only Green Bay's 290 and former member Butler's 227.
 
UDM has won two regular season titles claiming the 1987 crown with a 10-2 record and the 1997 championship as senior Autumn Rademacher '97 led Detroit to a 14-2 mark. The Titans also finished that year winning the conference tournament and advancing to their only NCAA Tournament.
 
Detroit is in its 35th season as a member of the Horizon League this year and now stands as the eldest member in the conference by 14 years over Cleveland State, Green Bay, Milwaukee, UIC, and Wright State, who all joined in 1994 with the Titans entering in 1980.
 
NEVER GIVE UP
The Titans have won two of their last three games and they have done so the hard way - making up a double-digit deficit in the second half.
 
UDM erased a 10-point Oakland lead to post a 73-62 victory over the Golden Grizzlies on Jan. 22. The Titans trailed, 46-36, with 14:39 left before going on a 12-0 run to take the lead.
 
Most recently against Youngstown State, Detroit was down by 16, 35-19, coming out of the half, but a 14-0 spurt to start the second half and a 22-4 total run propelled the red, white and blue to victory.
 
The 16-point comeback was the largest on the season and the most since coming from a 17-point first-half score of 32-15 last year in an 81-79 home triumph over Valparaiso.
 
STRONG DEFENSE
The Titans have played some tough defense this season, holding teams to just 66.7 points per game, down from last year's 80.5 ppg.
 
UDM has held five opponents to 60 or less on the season and twice to under 50.
 
Below are some stats from the defense.
 
vs. Marygrove
Detroit had one of its best defensive games in school history in defeating Marygrove, 88-46, in the home opener on Nov. 16.
 
The 46 points allowed were the fewest since Detroit downed Youngstown State at home, 62-48, during the 2012-13 campaign. The 25.0% (16-of-64) shooting by Marygrove was the lowest UDM has held a team since Milwaukee's 22.8% on Mar. 2, 2013.
 
at IPFW
Detroit held IPFW to just 29.7% shooting, including 28.5% (12-of-42) in the second half and overtime and 16.7% (2-of-12) in the extra session alone, while limiting Madonna to 29.4% (15-of-51). The 15 made field goals by Madonna were the fewest by an opponent since Youngstown State had just 15 in that 62-48 win.
 
at Toledo
Against Toledo, the Titans held an offensive Rockets team to 32.5% (26-of-80) overall and 27.5% (11-of-40) from three, while Delaware State shot just 37.7% (21-of-56) and 1-of-15 from distance. 
 
vs. Oakland
In their home win over Oakland, the Titans held the Golden Grizzlies - a team in the top four in the HL in offense - to 37.5 percent shooting, including just 6-for-25 (24.0%) with four turnovers in the final 14:31. The defense allowed Detroit to end the game on a 37-16 run, eliminating a 10-point deficit and cruising to an 11-point victory.
 
at Youngstown State
It looked like a game the Penguins would run away with leading 35-19 at the half, but Detroit forced Youngstown State - a team in the top three in offense in the HL - into missing its first 10 shots with four turnovers in the first 8:20 of the second stanza as the Titans used runs of 14-0 and 22-4 to take the lead. The final numbers showed that UDM's defense limited YSU to 6-of-25 (24.0%) in the second half and 1-of-12 (8.3%) from three-point range after the Penguins had eight from downtown in the opening frame.
 
MOVING FORWARD
The Titans have already posted more wins than last season (6), have tied their conference wins from last year (3), recorded three road victories to last season's zero, and won a Horizon League game on the road, which ended a 15-game conference road slide.
 
SEWARD, REYNOLDS EARN WEEKLY ACCOLADES
A pair of players took home some prized honors as freshman Darianne Seward was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week and redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds was tabbed the College Sports Madness HL Player of the Week on Monday, Feb. 2.
 
Seward – just like the Titans – rebounded from a slow start by scoring all 10 of her points in the second half in the comeback victory at Youngstown State. She was 0-of-8 shooting in the first half, but was 5-for-10 in the second stanza and also ended the contest with seven rebounds, two assists and a block.
 
For Seward, the accolade marked the third time this season she was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week.
 
Reynolds had another spectacular game in the win over the Penguins, which ended YSU's nine-game home winning streak. She posted her fourth double-double of the season with a game-high 19 points and a career-tying 11 rebounds, while handing out a game-best seven assists. She scored 15 of her 19 points in the second half, helping Detroit erase a 16-point halftime deficit.
 
It was the second time this year that College Sports Madness has honored Reynolds as she was the HL Player of the Week following her career-high 33-point performance at IPFW in early December.
 
LOW SCORING WIN
The Titans normally are unbeatable when scoring 70 or more, but their come-from-behind win at Youngstown State on Jan. 29 featured great defense in a 59-58 victory.
 
In fact, the win was the first when scoring less than 60 points since a 48-42 triumph at Valparaiso on Mar. 3, 2012.
 
GETTING TO 70
The Titans are 56-20 when they score 70 or more points as well as 21-5 when they score 80 or more under head coach Autumn Rademacher '97. UDM has also eclipsed 90 seven times under Coach Rad, with a season-high 96 against Eastern Michigan last year.
 
STEAL THE BACON
Detroit tallied a season-high 11 steals against Oakland on Jan. 22.
 
It was the third-straight game that Detroit has posted 10 or more steals in a game after registering 10 at Cleveland St. and versus UIC.
 
Senior Ellisha Crosby and freshman Darianne Seward tied their season high with four at CSU as well as Seward and sophomore Minisha Frederick-Childress coming away with four in the win over the Flames.
 
Detroit also had 10 steals against Marygrove and Madonna earlier in the season.
 
MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME
Senior Ellisha Crosby missed four straight games with an injury, but she has returned to the court and has not missed a beat.
 
Since her return six games ago, Crosby is averaging 17.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 47.6 percent (40-of-84) from the field.
 
She returned in a big way with a team-high 24 points at Wright State on Jan. 10, matching her season high and the fifth time in her career - just 26 games at the Division I level - that she has reached the 20-point plateau.
 
She has followed that performance with 19 points and six rebounds in the victory against UIC, 16 points, six boards and five assists at Cleveland State, 14 points and six caroms in the win over Oakland, game-high 17 points with seven rebounds versus Green Bay and 13 points with five rebounds in the triumph over Youngstown State.
 
A TRIPLE THREAT
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds has become one of the deadliest long-range shooters in the Horizon League.
 
She is currently second in the HL - and 71st in the country - in three-point field goals per game (2.40) as well as third in the league - and 46th in the country - in three-point field goal percentage (40.3%).
 
Reynolds has twice nailed seven 3-pointers in a game - one away from the school record of eight that Daphne Smith (8-of-11) had versus Butler on Jan. 10, 1987.
 
She had seven treys (7-of-10) in a 33-point outburst at IPFW on Dec. 2 and also had seven (7-of-12) in a 26-point effort at Toledo.
 
Reynolds has at least one 3-pointer in 18 of the Titans' 20 games on the year - only at Cincinnati and at Cleveland State did she not have one - and has 48 triples, a new career high passing the 25 she had as a freshman in 34 games in 2012-13.
 
In fact, 48 of her 113 total field goals (42.4%) on the year are from three.
 
ALL-AROUND GAME
Sophomore Haleigh Ristovski continues to show her full basketball skills this season on both ends of the floor.
 
She might not be the typical frontcourt player, but she has grabbed at least eight rebounds in 11 of UDM's 20 games, including five with 10 or more.
 
She also has four double-doubles on the season and tied her career high with 20 points and 12-rebounds at Eastern Michigan on Dec. 30.
 
Ristovski had 13 points and 10 rebounds at Toledo, 13 points and 11 rebounds at IPFW and 20 points and 12 caroms versus Madonna.
 
Her game against Madonna also saw her post nearly a triple-double as she handed out a career-high six assists.
 
She has recorded at least five assists six times this year and is leading the team and is tied for ninth in the Horizon League at 3.3 per game.
 
Ristovski has also scored in double figures seven times this season and is fourth on the team - and 24th in the HL - in scoring at 9.8 ppg., as well as leading the team and ranking sixth in the conference in rebounding at 7.5 per contest.
 
MORE THAN JUST SCORE
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds has done more than just score on the season.
 
She has recorded five assists or more in six games - including a season-high seven assists her last time out at Youngstown State - and is second on the team and 10th in the Horizon League at 3.2 per game.
 
She also has four double-doubles with 19 points and 11 rebounds at Youngstown State, 33 points and 11 rebounds at IPFW, 19 points and 10 boards at Eastern Michigan and 27 points and 11 boards against Oakland.
 
LITTLE D BRINGS BIG O
Freshman Darianne Seward might have been making her first collegiate start in her first career game at Michigan, but you would never know by the way the rookie played.
 
The 5-4 guard from Ohio ended the day with a game-high 19 points - 17 in the first half - along with three rebounds and three assists.
 
The 19 points in a collegiate debut was the most by a Titan true freshman since the 2011-12 season and the most by a Titan true freshman guard since Titan Hall-Of-Famer and the school's all-time leading scorer Cassandra Pack netted 23 at home against Bowling Green to open the 1983-84 campaign.
 
Seward has continued to be a force on offense recording her 14th game in double figures with 10 points in the come-from-behind win at Youngstown State.
 
She also tied her season high with 19 against Western Michigan on Dec. 20.
 
The three-time HL Freshman of the Week is currently third on the team in scoring and 17th in the Horizon League at 11.0 ppg., the second highest freshman average in the HL behind Valparaiso's Dani Franklin's 12.4.
 
ELLICIOUS
Senior Ellisha Crosby is coming off her 10th-straight game in double figures as she tallied 13 points at Youngstown State.
 
Before the injury against Delaware State, she was beginning to find her offensive rhythm with four-straight games in double figures. 
 
She tallied 12 points in just 16 minutes versus Delaware State, handing out a career-high six assists in that contest.
 
Against Toledo, she posted 24 points and was tabbed the Glass City Classic Tournament MVP after tallying 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and shooting 46.7 percent from the field in the two games against Southeast Missouri and the host Rockets.
 
Crosby started the weekend event with her first double-double of the year and the sixth of her career with 13 points and a season-high 10 rebounds against the Redhawks.
 
She now has 24 double-digit scoring games in her 28 career Division I contests, and in her Titan career, Crosby is tallying 15.3 ppg., including 13.6 ppg., this year, 10th in the HL.
 
URBANICK THINKING THREE
Sophomore Nicole Urbanick missed four games with an injury, but just like senior teammate Ellisha Crosby, she has come back very strong.
 
She tied her season high with 12 points and nailed a season-best four 3-pointers against Green Bay, her fifth double-digit scoring effort on the season and the most since tallying 12 versus Madonna on Dec. 8.
 
She nailed three more 3-pointers for nine points her last time out in the win at Youngstown State.
 
Her last seven buckets have been 3-pointers as have 21 of her 35 baskets on the year.
 
GOOD DECISIONS
Redshirt sophomore Rosanna Reynolds and sophomore Haleigh Ristovski are both among the most trustworthy ball handlers in the HL.
 
Ristovski tops the league - and is 25h in the nation - with a 2.30 assist-to-turnover ratio (66 A, 29 TO). As a freshman, Ristovski recorded a 2.7 mark (47 A, 17 TO) last season.
 
Meanwhile, Reynolds is now second in the Horizon League - and 31st in the nation - with a 2.21 assist-to-turnover ratio totaling 64 assists and just 29 turnovers.
 
SMART ATHLETES
Eighty student-athletes from UDM received 2014 Fall Horizon League Academic Honor Roll distinction after the academic accolade was announced by the league office on Jan. 17.
 
In all, four Detroit squads were either first or tied for first with the number of honorees in their respective sports, including women's basketball, whose seven members was the most of any Horizon League team.
 
For candidates to meet the honor roll criteria, student-athletes must have participated in one of the league's 19 sports during the most recent season, have completed three semesters (or four quarters, where applicable) as a full-time student and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20.
 
SHARING THE BALL
The Titans finished with 17 assists on their 22 baskets against Green Bay on Jan. 24, the third highest of the season behind the 22 they had against Marygrove and the 18 they registered versus Delaware State.
 
Detroit is fifth in the Horizon League in assists at 14.1 per game and has bumped that up to 14.4 in the last seven contests.