ROCHESTER, Mich. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Green Bay led from start to finish on Friday night at the O'Rena in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU, picking up a huge 80-72 road win at Oakland. The Phoenix (13-8, 7-2 HL) received double-double efforts from Kerem Kanter (14 points, 15 rebounds) and Kenneth Lowe (14 points, 10 rebounds), while taking a two-game lead for second place in the Horizon League and staying a half game behind league-leader Valparaiso.
After being swept by the Golden Grizzlies (15-7, 5-4 HL) last season, Green Bay left no doubt from the opening tip in the first meeting this year, jumping in front and led for all but 19 seconds the entire night. That was the first 19 seconds of the game, before Tevin Findlay recorded the steal and finish to go up 2-0 in his first start since his freshman season.
Kanter played big inside all evening, registering his team-best fourth double-double of the season and grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds. Kanter's frontcourt mate Lowe was equally dominant, tallying the first double-double of his career and going 6-for-11 from the field. Kanter and Lowe combined for 28 points, 25 rebounds and became the first duo to score a double-double in the same game this season for Green Bay.
Green Bay led by as many as 16 points in the second half, but Oakland wouldn't go down without a fight. The Golden Grizzlies, now losers in four of their last five games, cut the Phoenix lead down to five with 1:30 left before Khalil Small knocked down a pair of clutch free throws.
The Phoenix would seal the deal from there. Small finished a rebound shy of giving Green Bay a third player with a double-double, finishing with 16 points and nine rebounds while going 7-for-8 at the free throw line. The junior also dished out a team-high four assists.
Warren Jones continued his strong play, going an efficient 6-for-7 from the field and finishing with 14 points. Jones converted a pair of key finishes in the paint late in the game when Oakland was making its run to get back into the game.
The Phoenix defense held Oakland to a 4-for-21 (19 percent) effort from 3 and forced 19 Oakland turnovers. Both teams finished with the same amount of assists as it did turnovers, with Green Bay finishing with 14 each and Oakland with 19 each.
Charles Cooper and Findlay combined for 17 points and Green Bay is now 7-1 when Cooper comes off the bench.
Green Bay will continue its Detroit road swing when it visits Detroit Mercy on Sunday (Jan. 29) at 1 p.m. CT.
View full box score and play by play here.
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