By: Jill Wunrow
GreenBayPhoenix.com

CHICAGO, Ill. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - The No. 11/11 Green Bay (27-1, 17-1 HL) women's basketball team got off to a fast start and held off a late first half charge by UIC (17-12, 10-8 HL) to finish regular season play with a 77-64 win Saturday at the UIC Pavilion.

Senior Julie Wojta (Francis Creek, Wis.) posted a game-high 27 points and 10 rebounds, tallying her 32nd career double double performance which ties the Division I program record. Juniors Adrian Ritchie (De Pere, Wis.) and Lydia Bauer (Lake Zurich, Ill.) chipped in 13 points each, both sinking two three pointers in the win.

"I'm proud of our team, we stepped up in the second half in a tough environment and got it done on the road like we have all year," said fifth year head coach Matt Bollant who finishes regular season play with an 85-5 record in Horizon League play.

Green Bay started the contest with a 21-4 run which featured 10 points and four rebounds from Julie Wojta as the Phoenix was shooting 57 percent from the field with 11:19 remaining in the first half.

Following a media timeout with 11:19 to play, Flames senior Jasmine Bailey scored four consecutive points before classmate Shamiea Green sank a three from the left wing to cut Green Bay's lead to 10 (21-11) with 8:21 to play in the opening half.

After a pair of free throws from Stephanie Sension (Hopkins, Minn.) to boost Green Bay's lead to 23-11, the Flames went on a 16-5. Bailey sank a layup as the shot clock expired to cut Green Bay's lead to 26-21 with 3:14 to play in the half.

The Flames took its first lead of the game with 1:01 to play in the half after a pair of free throws from Green, giving UIC the 27-26 advantage. UIC held Green Bay without a field goal for a span of 11 minutes in the half, outscoring the Phoenix 23-7, until Sension scored a layup down low on the final bucket of the half to give the Phoenix the 28-27 advantage at the break.

"We played great right away but then we missed some open shots and let that affect us and our aggressiveness," said fifth year head coach Matt Bollant. "We built a good lead and then missed some really good looks, got frustrated with ourselves and stopped being aggressive."

Green Bay finished the half shooting 32 percent (9-28) from the field and 18 percent (2-of-11) from three point range.

"We challenged our players at the half and our players allowed us to do so," Bollant said. "We came out and played with a lot of toughness in the second half and I'm really proud of our players for the way they responded.

After UIC cut Green Bay's lead to four (40-36) at the 13:51 mark in the second half, Jenny Gilbertson (Wabasha, Minn.) sank a three from the right wing to spark the Phoenix. Ritchie sank a layup before adding a three from the top of the key, making it an 11-point game (48-37) with 11:55 remaining.

Wojta grabbed her 10th rebound of the game for her 16th double double of the season, and converted a layup at the offensive end of the court to boost Green Bay's lead 50-39 with 10:33 to play. Wojta later found Gilbertson on the right wing for her second three of the game to make it a 13-point (55-42) game.

Gilbertson scored all six of her points, two assists and one steal in seven minutes of play, giving the Phoenix a much-needed spark after senior Hannah Quilling (Eau Claire, Wis.) was injured in the first half and did not return to play.

"I'm really proud of Jenny and the way she stepped up with Hannah injured and Sarah having four fouls," Bollant said of Gilbertson's performance. "She's had a great attitude all year and has been waiting for her opportunity and she was great for us today."

With 7:21 to play in the game, Wojta had a fingertip roll bucket, drawing a foul and converting the three-point play for a 61-44 advantage. Green sank her third three of the game to pull the Flames within 15 (70-55), sparking an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 10 (70-60) after a Green layup with 1:18 remaining.

The Phoenix held off the Flames for its 12th road win of the season, finishing regular season play 27-1 overall. Green Bay finished the contest shooting 48 percent from the field after sinking 64 percent of its shots from the field in the second half.

UP NEXT: Green Bay now looks to postseason play as it tips off Horizon League Championship competition Wednesday, Mar. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Kress Events Center with a quarterfinal game as the No. 1 seed. The Phoenix will host the winner of the first round game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seed.

"It's fun to be at home for the tournament and we're hoping to have our fans come out and fill the Kress," said Bollant. "We need their energy so we hope to see them out there."

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Ticket packages for the women's basketball Horizon League championship are currently on sale with the Green Bay ticket office. For more information or to order tickets, please click here. Green Bay will host its opponent in the quarterfinal round Wednesday, Mar. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Kress Events Center.

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