It was a remarkable 20 year run of Horizon League championships for the Green Bay Phoenix women when the well ran a bit dry in 2017-18 but the GB gals are back on top. The Lady Phoenix beat Cleveland State in a showdown at the Kress Center Thursday night 64-49 to clinch no worse than a share of the Horizon League regular season title and by virtue of their sweep of the Vikings, claimed the number one seed in next week’s conference tournament. It was a tight game through the first three quarters with neither team leading by more than five and the Vikings nailed a three point shot at the third quarter buzzer to leave GB on top 45-43 going to the fourth. That’s when one of the country’s best defensive teams locked it down. The Phoenix went on an 11-2 burst and held Cleveland State to just six points in the final period as the won going away. Just how good is Green Bay’s D? Give them an A. They rank sixth nationally in scoring defense allowing 52.6 points a game and they held the Vikings to 27 points below their season average. GB has the country’s third best field goal percentage defense at 32% and they bettered that, allowing only 30% for the game. Destiny Leo, the odds on favorite to win the conference player of the year, was held to 2 of 11 shooting by standout guard Bailey Butler. Natalie McNeal led the offensive effort by matching her career high 16 points, many of those coming in the middle of the Cleveland State zone defense. Butler added 11 to go along with five of the team’s nine steals. Sydney Levy and Jasmine Kondrakiewicz each scored 10. Green Bay has reeled off 10 straight wins to improve to 24-4 on the season, 17-2 in Horizon play, a game better than Cleveland State. They’ll wrap up the regular season hosting Purdue Fort Wayne at the Kress Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM before an opening round bye and a spot in the conference tournament quarterfinals next Thursday night at home.
The Green Bay men hosted Cleveland State as well in the nightcap of the doubleheader and the Vikings pulled into a first place tie with Youngstown State in the Horizon race with a 76-65 victory. The Phoenix were competitive through the first 30 minutes of the game, building an 8 point lead early in the second half thanks to 10 three point baskets. But with depth thinned by injury and illness as it has been all year, GB tired down the stretch, going on a six minute scoreless drought as Cleveland State took control. The visitors were led by Tae Williams with 30 points and 14 rebounds as they improved to 14-5 in the Horizon. Green Bay got 14 points from Davin Ziegler and 11 each from Zae Blake and Clarence Cummings III. The Phoenix drop to 3-27 overall, 2-17 in the Horizon League. Interim Head Coach Freddie Owens said after the game he plans to apply for the full time position after taking over from the fired Will Ryan. The Phoenix also host Purdue Fort Wayne in their home finale Saturday afternoon at 4:00 PM.
