GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) --- Facing its toughest stretch of the season, Green Bay will begin a four-game road trip, starting with visits to Creighton (Dec. 14) and No. 9 Michigan State (Dec. 16) this upcoming weekend. The Phoenix (6-4) cruised to a 66-point win over UW-Stout on Tuesday night, winning its fourth game in six tries.
 
CATCH THE ACTION: 
at #9 Michigan State (8-2) | Sunday, Dec. 16 - 4 p.m. CT // Breslin Center (East Lansing, Mich.)
More about Michigan State

Where to Watch:
at #9 Michigan State (TV: Big Ten Network | Online: BTN2GO)

Where to Follow Live Stats:
at #9 Michigan State (Sidearm Stats)

Where to Listen Live: The Fan WDUZ 1400 AM

PDF GAME NOTES at Michigan State

For Live in-game updates, follow the Phoenix on social media: Twitter - @gbphoenixmbb, Instagram - @gbphoenixmbb

QUICK PREVIEW

RARE BIG EAST MEETING
Since the new Big East was established in summer 2013, Green Bay has never faced any of the 10 teams in the four years since, until Friday's meeting with Creighton. The last time GB faced a Big East opponent was in 2012, when it defeated Marquette 49-47 in Green Bay. This will be the first ever meeting all-time with Creighton and it will be the first time head coach Linc Darner has faced a team from the Big East Conference. Additionally, this wil be the first-ever time the program has played in the city of Omaha. 

TURNOVER TANTRUM
Green Bay's pressure defense continues to force teams into bad passes and turnovers, having now forced double-figure turnovers in every game this season. GB ranks 15th in the NCAA in turnovers forced, averaging 18.0 forced per game. The team is even better when measuring turnover margin, ranking 9th in the NCAA with a 5.8-1 turnover margin. GB has forced at least 16 turnovers in six games this year, and has forced over 20 turnovers twice. The turnovers have amounted a ton of steals for the Phoenix, which ranks 14th in the NCAA with 93 steals this season.

TERRIFIC TRIO
Green Bay is led by a trio of high-flying and athletic scorers so far this season, with each averaging over 13 points per game. Sandy Cohen III leads the way with 14.6 PPG, thanks to another 16-point performance in his most recent outing. ShanQuan Hemphill has also been very impressive in his first season at GB, averaging 13.8 PPG. JayQuan McCloud has also come through for the Phoenix this year in his first GB season, averaging 13.7 PPG, despite missing his last game due to injury. The three have each been on a tear of late, and now account for nearly half (49.7 percent) the team's offensive production. All three have scored in double-figures in five out of the last six games they have played.

SCORING IN BUNCHES
Ranking 13th in the NCAA in scoring with 87.2 PPG, GB has now scored 100 or more points three times this season. The Phoenix leads all Horizon League teams in that category, and has scored 80 or more points in 7 of its 10 games this season. The current scoring average of 87.2 would rank second all-time in program history, trailing only the 1970-71 team that averaged 90.5 PPG. Under Darner, the Phoenix has two of the top four all-time scoring seasons in program history, and could add another to the list this season in just his five seasons on the job.

CARRIED BY COHEN
The team's lone senior Sandy Cohen III has carried the load as expected so far this season, leading the team in multiple categories including scoring, assists, rebounding, steals, blocks and minutes. Cohen was named Horizon League Preseason First Team All-League and has lived up to that billing, and is also making a bid for a spot on the All-Defensive Team. Cohen leads the HL in steals per game and ranks 35th nationally with 2.3 per game. He also ranks fourth in the league in blocked shots per game, averaging 1.3. Offensively, the Seymour native ranks second in assists per game with 5.7 and has scored in double-figures in 9 out of 10 games this year.

TOTAL TANK
Shanquan Hemphill, who goes by Tank, has been key to the team's success this season. Hemphill is in his first season at Green Bay, but has already looked like a true veteran. Hemphill is averaging 13.8 PPG and has scored in double-figures in 8 of 10 games, while also leading the Horizon League in field goal percentage shooting a blistering 61.1 percent. Hemphill does his work around the rim, scoring the majority of his points in the paint. He's also second on the team in steals and third on the team in rebounding. He was named Player of the Week on Dec. 3 after averaging 21.5 PPG in two wins over NIU and Belmont.

PIPES POWER
Sophomore guard PJ Pipes has been playing some of his best basketball of late, reaching double-figures in three-straight games and averaging 13.0 PPG during that stretch. He's shooting over 50 percent, making 12 of his 23 shots, including six 3-pointers during that time. The team is 2-1 over its last three, and Pipes has also gone 9-for-11 at the free throw line. The Woodridge, Ill., native started in 28 and played in all 33 games last year, and has enjoyed a recent sophomore surge as the team's point guard. 

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