GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Phoenix (19-10) came from
behind to upend the Indiana State Sycamores (16-12) by a 60-59 final score Saturday
night in BracketBusters action at the Resch Center. It was the sixth time this
year that the Phoenix won a game decided at the final horn.
Rahmon Fletcher (Kansas City, Mo.) led the Phoenix with 22
points, which included the game-winner with 11 seconds left on a cutting drive
from the left side. His hoop off the glass gave the Phoenix the lead for just
the third time all game. Green Bay led for just 1:45 on the evening.
Indiana State had one final chance on the ensuing possession.
With three seconds left, the Sycamores ran an inbounds play underneath their
own basket and lobbed the ball to Carl Richard in the paint, but his shot
attempt at the buzzer came up short.
Off the bench, Rian Pearson (Raytown, Mo.) registered a
career-high 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting from the field. Bryquis Perine
(Milwaukee, Wis.) finished with 15. As a trio, Fletcher, Pearson and Perine
tallied 54 of the squad's 60 points.
After both teams were scoreless for nearly the first three
minutes of the game, the Sycamores gained their footing and took a 16-6 lead
nine minutes into the contest. Green Bay recovered, however, countering with a
12-2 run. Perine and Pearson had eight points apiece to account for 16 of Green
Bay's first 18 points.
However, Green Bay was unable to get back on top until 1:55
left in the contest on a Fletcher trey from the right corner made the score
58-56. Indiana State enjoyed a lead of between four and eight points the
majority of the second half.
Green Bay limited the Sycamores to just 38.2 percent
shooting from the field in the game. Green Bay turned the ball over just five
times on the night, with only one in the second half, and just two over the
final 29 minutes.
The Phoenix won despite going just 5 for 24 from 3-point
range, which included a 1 of 15 effort outside of Fletcher's 4 of 9 night. ISU
had a 43-27 advantage on the glass, but committed 14 turnovers.
At 10-6 in conference play, Green Bay enters the final week
of the Horizon League regular season in third place, one game behind Wright
State. The Phoenix travels to Chicago for its last two contests. Green Bay
plays UIC Thursday at 7 p.m. and Loyola Saturday at 3 p.m.
--GreenBayPhoenix.com--
