By: Stephen Wagner
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay women's basketball team took the court at the Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., this evening for a matchup with Butler. The Phoenix battled the former Horizon League foe, who is now a member of the Big East, and used an offensive spark in the fourth quarter to defeat the Bulldogs, 55-46, and improve to 5-2 on the year.
The game was all defense for the first 30 minutes, as the score was never separated by more than five points at the conclusion of each quarter. Green Bay shot just 29.0% (9-for-31) in the first half, but made up for the slow start by making it difficult for Butler's offense, holding the Bulldogs (4-5) to 26.9% (7-for26) from the field in the first 20 minutes.
Green Bay entered the final quarter holding a two-point advantage (32-30), which was quickly erased by a Butler three-pointer from Blaire Langlois that gave the Bulldogs a 33-32 lead with 9:35 to play. TheBulldogs' lead, however, was short-lived, as sophomore Jessica Lindstrom buried back-to-back triples and regained the lead for the Phoenix 38-33.
Butler managed to exchange baskets with the Phoenix as time ticked away, getting as close as four points (42-38) with 2:39 left to play. With the game only being two possessions, Mehryn Kraker stepped up and sent a 3-pointer through the net after the Green Bay defense forced a Butler turnover on the other end, extending the Phoenix lead to 45-38.
Green Bay shot 8-for-10 from the line over the final 1:45 and sealed the 55-46 victory for the Phoenix.
Lindstrom shined in her first career start for Green Bay, posting a career-high 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from behind the arc. Lindstrom also made her presence known on the defensive side of the ball as she pulled down 8 rebounds and tallied two steals.
Senior Kaili Lukan put together a complete game for the Phoenix and recorded the third double-double (10 points/10 rebounds) of her Phoenix career, second of the season. She also doled out four assists, collected three steals and recorded one block in her 40 minutes of play.
Kraker recorded a season-high 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting, paired with a 2-for-6 performance from long range in 36 minutes on the court. Kraker stepped up on the defensive end as well and logged a career-high five steals in the contest.
Green Bay forced 24 turnovers on the evening while surrendering only 17. Butler did own an advantage in shots blocked on ther evening, 9-3, but Green Bay evened things out by recording 14 steals compared to Butler's six.
Green Bay will return to its home state of Wisconsin for its next matchup, as the Phoenix readies to face in-state rival Wisconsin on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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