CHICAGO, Ill. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Following a late foul call, the Green Bay men's basketball team needed Turner Botz to make just one free throw and he would do did just that, eventually making both before helping to give his team the 78-76 victory over UIC on Thursday night at the UIC Pavilion.
Green Bay (11-6, 4-1 HL) was called for a foul with 15 seconds on the clock, sending Tai Odiase to the line for the Flames (2-13, 0-4 HL). Odiase, who had made just one free throw on four attempts prior, made the first to tie the game before missing the second and giving the Phoenix the final shot.
As head coach Linc Darner let the final seconds play out, Botz received the ball on the wing and was forced to get off a shot. Botz drew contact from the UIC defender, before the officials would go on to review the play and add a second back on the clock. Botz made the first free throw and attempted to miss the second, but the ball banked off the glass and into the hoop.
Botz would play another clutch role on the defensive end, batting the ball away as UIC tried to throw the ball to half court. The Little Chute-native was credited with the steal and finished the game with eight points, four rebounds and four assists.
The game was back-and-forth throughout, with both teams sharing their chance with the lead and the deficit. The Phoenix trailed by as many as 12 and enjoyed its largest lead of only five. The final scoreboard was the only lead Green Bay cared about though, as it came away with the road victory and picked up its seventh win in its last nine games.
There were 11 lead changes in the game and seven ties. The two teams entered the half tied at 39-39.
Four players in all finished in double figures for the Phoenix, led by Khalil Small's 15 points. Small also added six rebounds, including a clutch defensive play late in the game to get the ball back to the Phoenix. Carrington Love recorded 12 points, while chipping in four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.
Senior Jordan Fouse made a valiant effort towards a quadruple-double, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a noticeable five blocks. Fouse went 4-of-8 from the field and was a presence on the defensive end.
Charles Cooper was the other Phoenix member in double-figure territory, finishging with 10 points and seven rebounds. Kenneth Lowe and Jamar Hurdle added eight and seven points respectively. All told, nine players scored for Green Bay with eight of those players scoring at least six points.
Countering its cold 4-of-16 three-point shooting performance, Green Bay was strong at the free throw line, going 16-for-20. The 80 percent is the second-highest single game percentage this season, and the highest with that many attempts.
The Phoenix will now venture to Indiana to take on defending league champion Valparaiso (14-3, 4-0 HL) on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the ARC as Green Bay will go for its first win in Valparaiso since 2011.
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