GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay men's basketball team closed out its regular season on Senior Day at the Resch Center, where it went toe-to-toe with league-leading Valparaiso (26-5, 16-2 HL) before falling on a game-winning 3-pointer by Crusaders' junior Shane Hammink with 2.2 seconds remaining, 70-68.
In a game that featured a total of 15 ties and 23 lead changes, both teams exchanged blows throughout the game and down the stretch. The Phoenix defense had an unfortunate breakdown in the final seconds; however, as the Crusaders found Hammink wide-open at the top of the key. After calling a timeout, Green Bay's ensuing in-bounds pass by Jordan Fouse deflected off the backboard to end it.
The Phoenix (19-12, 11-7 HL) did its best to knock-off the reigning conference champions with balanced scoring, as five players reached double-figures on the afternoon led by sophomore guard Khalil Small (14 pts). Making their last appearance at home, Green Bay seniors Fouse and Carrington Love added 12 points apiece, while juniors Charles Cooper and Jamar Hurdle chipped in with 11 each.
Despite having three and-one buckets in the final five minutes to either tie or extend its lead, Green Bay was held to just 34.7 percent (25-of-72) from the field, while Valparaiso's standout Alec Peters played like it, recording game highs with 25 points and 15 rebounds. Neither team led by more than five points over the course of the entire game.
Head coach Linc Darner's team entered play 11-2 at home this season, and were not only bidding for its 20th win, but to extend its winning streak to a season-high five games. Instead, the Phoenix will have its chance at a third-consecutive 20-win season next weekend as it travels to Detroit for the 2016 Horizon League Tournament at Joe Louis Arena.
After its victory against UIC on Friday, Green Bay clinched the conference's No. 4 overall seed, and will take on the No. 9 seeded Cleveland State Vikings (9-22, 4-14 HL) in the opening round on Saturday, March 5 at 11 a.m. CT. In two meetings against CSU this season, the Phoenix won by a combined 37 points, including a 17-point win on Feb. 22, 78-61.
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