March 15, 2009

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GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay women's basketball team left no doubt as to who would take the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament for the Horizon League Sunday afternoon, as the Phoenix utilized a key 12-0 run in the first half to cruise to a 65-41 win over instate rival Milwaukee in the championship game of the 2009 Speedway Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship.

"There are no words for it," senior center Lavesa Glover said in response to the emotions of the moment. "You just want to go out and scream you are so excited."

Senior point guard Kati Harty, who did not earn any postseason honors prior to the championship, led the Phoenix with 12 points and earned tournament MVP accolades. Kayla Tetschlag came off the bench to tally 12 points while Glover and Celeste Hoewisch added nine points.

Glover joined Harty on the all-tournament team, as did fellow senior Rachel Porath. Milwaukee's Traci Edwards and Ashley Imperiale rounded out the all-tournament squad.

"We talked before this game that this team earned the right to win," said head coach Matt Bollant. "They put in the hours in offseason training, in the weight room, shooting, and they are the reason we are successful. "

After the first eight minutes showed plenty of jitters from both teams and four lead changes, Green Bay buckled down to take a seven-point lead on a three-pointer by Hannah Quilling with 9:47 to go in the half. After the Panthers (15-18) battled back to within four, the Phoenix burst open the game with a 12-0 run which featured six points off UWM turnovers. The result was a 30-14 lead with 2:09 to go in the first half.

Milwaukee tried to chip away the Phoenix lead in the second half, but the seventh-seeded Panthers never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

The Phoenix defense, which is on pace to post one of the top five defensive efforts in a season in NCAA history, again was the key to victory. Green Bay held Edwards, the league's leading scorer and co-Player of the Year to just one field goal attempt in the first half and kept her off the scoreboard until the 15:25 mark in the second half. Edwards finished with a team-high 11 points, well below her season average.

Green Bay forced 28 Milwaukee miscues, including 20 in the first half to set the tone. After committing nine turnovers in the first 12 minutes, the Phoenix settled down and only had eight for the rest of the contest.

Green Bay returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time since its second round appearance in 2007. Its trip to the Big Dance is the team's 12th straight postseason appearance and 10th trip to the NCAA tournament in program history.

The Phoenix will await its fate when pairings for the 2009 NCAA Championship are announced live Monday, March 16 at 6 p.m. CST on ESPN. Green Bay will gather at The Woods for the selection show.

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