DETROIT, Mich. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay men's basketball team took part in the inaugural game of Motor City Madness on Saturday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena, forcing a season-high 27 turnovers while closing out the final two minutes and 58 seconds on a 9-0 run to take down Cleveland State, 65-53, in Round One of the 2016 Little Caesars' Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship.
The Phoenix (20-12) has now clinched its third-consecutive 20-win season for the first time since 1990-92, and will advance to the second round of the tournament to play the winner of No. 5 Milwaukee (19-12, 10-8 HL) and No. 8 Northern Kentucky (9-20, 5-13 HL) tomorrow afternoon. Game time will be at 1:00 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT.
Spearheading Green Bay's defensive effort was senior guard Carrington Love who came up with a career-high-tying seven steals in the contest, establishing a new Horizon League Tournament record. Love accounted for seven of his team's 14 steals, the 17th time it has tallied double-digit steals this season.
Senior forward Jordan Fouse scored a game-high 18 points, while juniors Charles Cooper (15 pts) and Jamar Hurdle (12 pts) also ended in double-figures. Green Bay held the Vikings scoreless over the last 3:10 to pull away down the stretch.
The Phoenix led for nearly 32 minutes overall; however, only led by four points at the half, 30-26. In what turned out to be a defensive battle, both teams matched each other by shooting 36.2 percent (17-of-47) from the floor, combining for just 32.0 percent (8-of-25) shooting from beyond the arc.
Green Bay was able to counteract its off-shooting day by forcing Cleveland State (9-23) into a season-high 27 turnovers, eclipsing its previous high-water mark on Dec. 23 at Wisconsin (26), while also shooting extremely well from the charity-stripe, knocking down 28 of its 35 attempts (80.0 percent). The 53 points allowed to the Vikings set a season high for its fewest allowed in any game this season (prev. 57, Dec. 20 vs. UW-Superior).
Green Bay has made a living in the second half over its last five games, outscoring opponents by 72 points over that span, 225-153.
With the win, the Phoenix has now won five of its last six games under the direction of head coach Linc Darner.
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