By: Stephen Wagner
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – For just the fourth time in program history, Green Bay will play its second-straight game at home to start the season, welcoming Vanderbilt (1-1) to the Kress Events Center for a 1 p.m. tipoff on Saturday afternoon.
The game will be a rematch of last season's overtime thriller that saw the Commodores escape with a 68-64 victory in the first all-time meeting between the two teams.
In last week's season opener, Green Bay (1-0) defeated in-state rival Marquette 75-55 to secure the 900th program victory, a feat that no division I team in the state of Wisconsin has equaled. Senior Kaili Lukan recorded her second career double-double against the Golden Eagles, scoring 22 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in 38 minutes.
ABOUT VANDERBILT
The Commodores have experienced very different outcomes in their first two games of the 2015-16 season. The first, its season opener against Mississippi State, was dominated by Vanderbilt and ended with a victory margin of 50 points in favor of the Commodores. Then, they took the floor against Dayton, a member of last year's NCAA Elite Eight. Vanderbilt was defeated by 25 points in the second-consecutive road bout to open the season after shooting just 31.7% (19-of-60) from the floor.
RECEIVING VOTES
In the most recent edition of the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, Green Bay was receiving votes, and if counted down after No. 25, the Phoenix would check in at No. 37 in the country. Defending national champion Connecticut checked in at No. 1, receiving 31 of the 32 first-place votes.
FOLLOW IT LIVE: Friday night's game will be streamed LIVE on ESPN3 and fans can listen to the game on WNFL's radio broadcast or by following live stats. Fans are also encouraged to follow @gbphoenixwbb on Twitter and Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos and live updates.
PHOENIX NOTES
SECURING No. 900
Green Bay picked up its 900th win in program history last Friday with its 75-55 rout of Marquette, becoming the first division I women's basketball team in the state of Wisconsin to amass 900 victories. The win also improved Green Bay's all-time record against the Golden Eagles to 33-8, a winning percentage of more than 80%.
WEELY AWARDS
Kaili Lukan garnered the first Horizon League Player of the Week honor of the season on Monday after her impressive performance against Marquette. Lukan recorded her second career double-double (22 points/10 rebounds) against the Golden Eagles last weekend. The senior guard shot 47.1 percent from the field (8-for-17) while netting three of five from beyond the arc. In addition, Lukan filled up the stat line on Friday night at the Kress Center, leading the team in points (22), steals (3), blocks (2) and tied for the team lead in rebounds with 10, her career high.
BACK-TO-BACK TO BEGIN
The game against Vanderbilt will be the second-straight home game to start the season for Green Bay, marking the fourth time in program history that the Phoenix has started the season with two consecutive games at home. The last time Green Bay opened the season with two home contests was in 1980-81 against the University of Chicago (W, 62-39) and St. Norbert (W, 75-43).
ALL-TIME SERIES vs VANDERBILT
Green Bay and Vanderbilt have only taken the floor against one another on a single occasion, last year's overtime contest at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., that ended 68-64 in favor of the Commodores.
RETURNING ITS FIREPOWER
Head coach Kevin Borseth returns 87 percent of his team's scoring this season, including four starters and three All-League performers. Green Bay, who averaged 69.2 ppg last season, welcomes back 10 total players back from what was the youngest team in the Horizon League.
WINNING TRADITION
Green Bay has posted 38-consecutive winning seasons, trailing only Tennessee (42) in active winning season streaks, including 17 straight Horizon League titles and 16 consecutive 20-plus win seasons dating back to 1999-00. The Phoenix ranked 23rd nationally in scoring defense at 56.1 ppg in 2014-15, before securing its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance.
CONTINUING THE RISE
Green Bay has proven itself as one of the premiere programs in the realm of women's college basketball. In the 2014-15 season, the Phoenix collected its 17-straight regular-season conference championship and 15 NCAA tournament berth.
2015-16 PHOENIX FACTS
· Green Bay, who was the youngest team in the Horizon League a season ago, returns 10 players including four starters to its roster. The youthful team from 2014-15 has returned with a veteran status.
· Green Bay will participate in the Paradise Jam for the first time in program history and will take the court against Virginia, Tulane and Rutgers in the Virgin Islands.
· Green Bay has tallied 16 consecutive 20-plus win seasons dating back to 1999-00.
· The 2014-15 postseason marked the 18th consecutive postseason appearance.
· Three of Green Bay's returning starters received regular-season or tournament league honors in 2014-15. Kaili Lukan: All-Tournament team, Mehryn Kraker: Second-Team All-League, All-Tournament team, Tesha Buck: Second-Team All-League, Horizon League Tournament MVP.
· Green Bay's 2014-15 regular season title became its 17th consecutive Horizon League regular season title.
· Green Bay secured its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance after defeating Wright State in the Horizon League Championship.
· Green Bay ranked nationally (23rd) in scoring defense for 2014-15 with 56.1. From what we have seen in 2015-16, the tenacity and relentlessness from a season ago appears to be gracing the Phoenix in the current campaign, as Green Bay forced 22 turnovers in its most recent outing against Minnesota-Duluth.
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