GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) --- The Green Bay women's basketball team is heading south of the border for three matchups in three days, two of which will feature programs currently ranked in the national polls, in the Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. All games will be streamed live, and links can be found at greenbayphoenix.com or cancunchallenge.net.
 
CATCH THE ACTION: CANCUN CHALLENGE

Matchups: Nov. 23 at 10 a.m. - vs Columbia (2-2), Nov. 24 at 12:30 p.m. - No. 24/RV Arizona State (4-0), Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. - No. 7/3 Mississippi State (3-0) 

Where to Follow: Live Video | Live Stats

Where to Listen: WNFL 101.9 FM, 1440 AM

Game Notes: Cancun Challenge Notes | Green Bay Notes

For Live in-game updates, follow: @gbphoenixwbb

NATION'S BEST
Green Bay enters the Cancun Challenge with one of the best statistical defenses in the nation, owning the top scoring defense in the country with a lowly 35.0 PPG average. The next best mark in the nation comes from Oklahoma State, who has allowed an average of 46.0 PPG. Green Bay also has the best field-goal percentage defense in the country with 25.5% and ranks second in three-point field goal percentage defense at 13.5%.

LINDSTROM MAKING LEAPS
Senior Jessica Lindstrom reached two major milestones in Green Bay's victory over Wisconsin on November 15, becoming the seventh player in program history to amass 900 points and 700 rebounds in a career.Lindstrom also moved into Green Bay's top 10 in all-time rebounds after her double-double (19pts/10rebs) performance against South Dakota State, currently has 710 in her career.

HIBNER HAPPENING
Sophomore Caitlyn Hibner was on fire when the Phoenix traveled to Madison for a rivalry matchup with Wisconsin. Hibner finished with a career-high 19 points on a 6-of-10 mark from the floor including a near-perfect 5-of-6 clip from long range. The guard scored 11 of Green Bay's 28 points in the third quarter that put the game out of reach for the Badgers.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Green Bay defense was once again on full display as the Phoenix women's basketball team took the court for its second matchup of the year, facing off against Wisconsin at the Kohl Center on Wednesday and downing the Big Ten program, 67-34, to improve to 2-0 on the season. Due in large part to the defense, Green Bay has opened the season with back-to-back victories of at least 30 points for the first time since the 1985-86 season.

TAKING DOWN THE TOP
South Dakota State received the top spot in the first edition of espnW's mid-major rankings for the 2017-18 season, while Green Bay was slotted third. The two mid-major powerhouses took the floor this past weekend at the Kress Events Center and the Phoenix handed the Jackrabbits their first loss of the season, 55-41. 

CANCUN CHALLENGE
The 2017 Cancun Challenge will be played at the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, which sits along the Caribbean coastline of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, located on the eastern portion of the Yucatan Peninsula. This will be the 13th year of the women's Cancun Challenge. It's the sixth time the event has been played at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. Since its inception in 2005, the tournament has hosted 90-plus D-I teams from 27 conferences, while playing 136 games in Mexico. The event features four teams in the Mayan Division (Arizona State, Columbia, Green Bay, Mississippi State) and six teams in the Riviera Division (Indiana State, Marquette, Montana, Oklahoma State, South Dakota, Tennessee). Mississippi State famously beat UConn this March in the NCAA Tournament, breaking the Huskies' 111-game winning streak; Arizona State, Green Bay, Marquette and 8-time national champion Tennessee also played in the NCAA Tournament.

SEASON-OPENING SUCCESS
Green Bay has been on the winning side of its last 11 season openers with its most recent win over Chattanooga, with its average margin of victory being 20-plus points in those games. In terms of season-home openers, the Phoenix has only opened the season at home on four separate occasions in the past 20 years, all of which the Phoenix claimed victories. In addition, Green Bay has won the last 18 home openers, a streak that dates back to the 2000-01 season when the Borseth-led Phoenix defeated Cincinnati 90-68.

EXHIBITION FINALE RECAP vs MICHIGAN TECH
The Green Bay women's basketball team looked to be in midseason form on Nov. 2 in front of a packed house celebrating the 10th-anniversary of the Kress Events Center, cruising to an 87-49 exhibition victory over Michigan Tech in its final matchup before tipping off the regular season. LeClaire poured in 15 points in 19 minutes and Jessica Lindstrom scored nine as the senior duo combined for 24 points on a perfect 9-9 shooting mark. Lindstrom pulled down eight rebounds and doled out three assists in 20 minutes. Green Bay dominated down low all evening, outscoring Michigan Tech 50-10 inside the paint. The Phoenix also owned a substantial advantage in points off turnovers, 19-6.

EXHIBITION OPENER RECAP vs UW-WHITEWATER
Madison Wolf led the Phoenix in scoring last week in the exhibition opener with UW-Whitewater, scoring 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting in 19 minutes. Jessica Lindstrom followed closely behind with 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds in 18 minutes. Green Bay dominated action inside the paint and outscored the Warhawks 44-4. The Phoenix did not allow a single basket in the paint in the final three quarters of play and held UWW to less than 10 points total in the second half.

KRESS CENTER CELEBRATION – 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
The Green Bay women's basketball team first took the floor at the Kress Events Center in exhibition play on Nov. 3, 2007 against Northern Michigan. The Phoenix cruised to a 71-45 victory in the contest before officially opening the home season versus Northern Illinois on Nov. 28 with a 76-54 win. From then to now, Green Bay has amassed an all-time record of 147-15 when taking the court within the friendly confines of the Kress Center.

FAVORED TO WIN NUMBER 20
For the 10th-consecutive year, the Green Bay women's basketball team will enter the season as the Horizon League preseason favorite, as announced by the league office during its media day event in early October. Green Bay is fresh off its 19th-straight Horizon League Regular-Season Championship and is no stranger to high expectations, with Head coach Kevin Borseth's Phoenix squad receiving 21 of the 25 first-place votes in the poll and accumulating 246 points to lead the nearest school by 42 (Wright State).
 
RETURNING FIREPOWER
Green Bay has no shortage of reliable returners for the 2017-18 campaign, headlined by Preseason All-Horizon League selections Jessica Lindstrom (First Team) and Allie LeClaire (Second Team). Lindstrom receives the preseason first-team all-league honor after a dominant junior campaign a year ago, where she averaged 13.1 points per game and a team-high 9.8 rebounds per game. Lindstrom also enters the season having received second-team honors in 2016-17 as well as all-defensive team recognitions back-to-back seasons. Lindstrom was named Horizon League Tournament MVP after scoring 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the championship game. She averaged 16.7 PPG and 10.6 RPG over the three tournament wins in Detroit. LeClaire was named to the preseason all-league second team after averaging 11.0 points per game and a team-best 3.8 assists per game. The native of Green Bay, Wis., was also the 35th player in program history to surpass the 1,000-points mark for Green Bay, doing so after a 19-point effort in last year's Horizon League Tournament Championship.
 
WHAT'S IN STORE FOR 2017-18
As head coach Kevin Borseth prepares his squad for the rigors of the Horizon League slate, the Phoenix will face numerous tests to open the season. Green Bay squares off with seven 20-win teams and five 2017 NCAA Tournament qualifiers in its 11-game nonconference schedule. Green Bay officially opens the 2017-18 season at the Kress Center with the Southern Conference Champions, Chattanooga, on November 11. The final exhibition matchup will be on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. as the squad welcomes Michigan Tech to the Kress Events Center.
 
WINNING TRADITION 
Green Bay secured its 40th-consecutive winning season last year and trails only Tennessee (43) for the longest active streak in the nation. Green Bay's streak includes 19-straight conference titles and 17 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Phoenix also secured its 18th-consecutive 20-plus win season dating back to 1999-00.
 
WINNING....SINCE THE BEGINNING 
The Green Bay women's basketball team is one of three Division I women's basketball programs that has had a winning record every year since the NCAA took over administration of women's college athletics in the fall of 1981. Essentially, the Phoenix has never had a losing record in the NCAA era. There only two other programs to accomplish the same feat, Tennessee and Georgia.
 
HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS 
Last season Green Bay made its eighth-consecutive Horizon League Tournament Championship game and 20th overall. The Phoenix owns a 15-4 all-time record in the tournament's biggest game and has won 15 of the last 20 titles.
 
19 STRAIGHT 
The Phoenix clinched its 19th-consecutive regular season conference championship last season, a streak that dates back to the 1998-99 season. Green Bay's current consecutive title run is the longest active conference championship streak in the nation. To really put things in perspective, the last time that Green Bay lost a regular-season conference championship, redshirt freshman Karly Murphy hadn't been born.
 
PHOENIX NATIONAL RANKINGS IN 2016-17
• No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense at 51.7 points per game allowed
• No. 11 in the nation in scoring margin at an 17.7 point per game difference
• No. 15 in the nation in rebound margin at 7.9 rebound difference per game
• No. 17 in the nation in field-goal percentage at 45.4 percent
• No. 21 in the nation in field-goal percentage defense at 36.1 percent
• No. 35 in the nation in assists per game averaging 15.8 per game
• No. 25 in the nation in three-point field goals per game making 7.8
 
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