GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The defense was on full display for the Green Bay women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon, as it shut down visiting Chattanooga 60-30 at the Kress Center in the regular season-opener. The Phoenix (1-0), which ranked 2nd in the NCAA last year in scoring defense by allowing only 51.7 PPG, held the Mocs (0-1) to just 26.7 percent (12-for-45) shooting and to single digits in three of the four quarters. The 30 points Green Bay allowed ties Chattanooga's program-record for fewest points scored in a game.
Chattanooga enjoyed its most successful quarter right out of the gates, but Green Bay still led 21-13 after 10 minutes. The following three quarters watched the GB defense hold the Mocs to 8 points (2Q), 3 points (3Q) and 6 points (4Q) the rest of the way.
Jen Wellnitz was her usual defensive self throughout the game, racking up seven steals and eight assists to go with nine points. Wellnitz, who earned HL All-Defensive Team honors last season, had six steals and six assists in the first half alone, and didn't even play in the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.
Six different players scored at least eight points for the Phoenix, led by senior
Allie LeClaire's 13 points as the only player in double figures. Wellnitz (9),
Frankie Wurtz (9),
Madison Wolf (8),
Jessica Lindstrom (8) and
Karly Murphy (8) were also key in the winning effort, as Green Bay shot 45.3 percent as a team.
The Phoenix defense forced UTC into 24 turnovers and a 4-for-16 effort from 3-point range. The Mocs recorded just five assists and Green Bay turned the many UTC turnovers into 25 points.
Green Bay has now won 11-straight season openers and its last 18 home-openers, a streak that dates back to 2000-01.
The team will now turn its attention to in-state rival Wisconsin on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The Phoenix will visit the Badgers in Madison, who won a 54-53 nail-biter last year in GB.
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