GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) --- The Green Bay women's basketball team will enter its second matchup of a three-game home stand this Saturday against Missouri at 1 p.m.
CATCH THE ACTION: Saturday, November 16 – 1 p.m. // Green Bay, Wis. (Kress Events Center)
Matchup: Missouri at Green Bay
Where to Listen: The Fan 1400 AM
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Green Bay | Missouri
Game Promotion: Pride Day – Free Bandanas to the first 400 UWGB students
Game Program: Frankie Wurtz
Scouting the Tigers: Missouri was pegged as 9th in the SEC preseason poll that was released a month ago. So far, the Tigers are 1-2 on the young season, with both losses by five points in the last two games, played against Nebraska and Northern Iowa respectively. Missouri is coached by Robin Pingeton, who enters her 10th season with the Tigers. Pingeton recorded her 500th career win last season against Vanderbilt and has led the Tigers to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Amber Smith leads the scoring attack for the Tigers with 22.0 points per game to start the season. The 5'11" guard in Smith also has tallied a double-double in points and rebounds in two of the first three games as well so she looks to add to the over 40 rebounds per game that the Tigers average as a team per contest. Senior guard Jordan Chavis averages a touch over four assists per game with her season-high being eight in the Tigers first game of the season.
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MIZZOU DEBUT
Saturday's contest marks the second time Missouri has visited Green Bay in the all-time series, but the first pairing since the opening of the Kress Center in 2007. Mizzou last made the trek to GB on Nov. 29, 2003 - a game which the Phoenix won, 74-66. Missouri is just the second SEC program to take the court at the Kress Center.
MONEYBALL MURPHY
Karly Murphy was unstoppable last week, averaging 21.0 PPG and 7.5 RPG as the Phoenix took the floor against two NCAA Tournament teams from last season. Murphy had a career night to open the season, scoring 30 points and collecting nine rebounds - a performance which helped garner her the first #HLWBB Player of the Week honor this season.
RECAP FOR THE REMATCH
Last year's victory over No. 16 Missouri secured the second-straight season in which Green Bay had defeated a ranked opponent, as the Phoenix picked up wins over No. 24 Arizona State and No. 23 Marquette in the 2017-18 campaign. Missouri was the highest ranked opponent to fall at the hands of the Phoenix since GB beat No. 12 Michigan State in the 2011 NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK?
Green Bay has made a name for itself as a perennial defensive powerhouse, causing headaches for opposing offenses on a regular basis. Last season, the Phoenix ranked fourth in the country in scoring defense and allowed only 51.9 points per game. The year prior to that, GB led the entire nation and surrendered a lowly 47.4 PPG. In Green Bay's first pairing, Central Michigan scored 105 points and became only the second team in history to surpass the century mark against the formidable Phoenix defense. GB still managed to escape with the win, pouring in 111 points of its own which marked the second-highest total in program history.
MIGHTY MID-MAJORS
Green Bay has taken the floor against two of the top-ranked mid-major programs in the country to start off 2019-20, defeating No. 12 Central Michigan 111-105 on the road in double overtime and falling at home to No. 1 South Dakota, 66-60.
PRESEASON PROMINENCE
The Green Bay women's basketball team is no stranger to high expectations, with this year being no exception. The Phoenix is favored in the Horizon League's preseason poll for the 12th-consecutive season, sharing the title with defending champion Wright State.
FABULOUS FRANKIE
Frankie Wurtz was the lone GB member recognized on the preseason all-league teams, receiving a first-team nod from conference. Wurtz returns to the roster after leading Green Bay in scoring in 2018-19, averaging 10.5 points per game. She is the first player to return to the roster after leading the team in scoring since Allie LeClaire accomplished the same feat in 2015-16. Despite missing games due to injury, Wurtz was still able to lead the Phoenix in three-pointers made with 41.
TOURNAMENT TESTS
Green Bay will be tested early and often this season, as its non-conference slate currently features seven opponents who advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, with Central Michigan (W, 111-105), South Dakota (Nov. 9), Missouri (Nov. 16), Marquette (Nov. 19), DePaul (Dec. 7), Maine (Dec. 13) and South Dakota State (Dec. 21) all punching their tickets in 2019. The Phoenix also has the potential to take the court against additional NCAA Tournament teams based on results in the Victoria Invitational.
KEY RETURNERS
Green Bay was plagued by injuries a season ago and returns a number of key players in 2019-20. Caitlyn Hibner is poised to make a strong comeback after sitting out all of 2018-19 with an injury. Karly Murphy will also be gracing the floor once again for the Phoenix after suffering an injury in the season opener last year, causing her to miss the remainder of the season. Murphy impressed as a redshirt freshman in 2017-18, averaging 7.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG in league play.
OPENING ON THE ROAD
Green Bay opened the regular season on the road for the first time since 2014-15, as the team traveled to Central Michigan for a pairing with the Chippewas. The Phoenix came away with a victory in the matchup and won its season opener for the 11th time in 12 years.
SEASON OPENING SUCCESS
Although Green Bay found itself on the losing end of last year's season opener with Northwestern, falling 57-55, the Phoenix has traditionally opened the season strong. GB has won 11 of the past 12 season openers, seven of which victories have come on the road.
PHOENIX FRESH FACES
Green Bay welcomes three true-freshman to the 2019-20 roster, all from the state of Wisconsin. Cassie Schiltz resides from the local town of Luxemburg, where she was a three-time first team all-conference selection and the Northeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Julia Hartwig joins the Phoenix from Janesville where she was also a 2x first team all-conference selection and an all-state honoree in 2017-18. Brooklyn Blackburn found her way to the squad from Milwaukee and also earned first team all-conference honors in high school.
WINNING TRADITION
Green Bay secured its 42nd-consecutive winning season last year and trails only Tennessee (45) for the longest active streak in the nation. During that span, GB also pieced together a stretch of 20-straight conference titles and made 18 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Phoenix also secured its 20th-consecutive 20-plus win season in 2018-19, a streak 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. The only two other programs to accomplish the same feat are Tennessee and Georgia.
DEFENSIVE DOMINATION
Green Bay has received national acclaim year after year for its defensive prowess, with the most recent campaign being no exception. In 2018-19, the Phoenix ranked fourth in the country in scoring defense - allowing a lowly 51.9 points per game. GB also ranked sixth in the nation in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 33.9% from the field.
RETURNING OFFENSE
Green Bay returns over 60% of its offense from last season, highlighted by leading scorer Frankie Wurtz who averaged 10.5 PPG. Not included in that number are Karly Murphy and Caitlyn Hibner, who both missed the majority of last year due to injury.
COURT AND CLASSROOM COMBO
The Green Bay women's basketball team was named to the WBCA Academic Top 25 for the fifth-straight season this summer, coming in at No. 8 with a 3.64 team GPA. The Phoenix was dubbed champions of the classroom in 2016-17 and 2017-18 after owning the highest GPA in the nation through those two seasons.
SUCCESS FROM LONG RANGE
Green Bay enjoyed success from long range on both ends of the floor last season, owning league-best marks in three-point field goal percentage (34.1%) and three-point field goal percentage defense (27.3%).
BORSETH BREAKING BARRIERS
Head coach Kevin Borseth has enjoyed numerous successes throughout his coaching career. Last season, Borseth surpassed 700 total wins and 400 wins with Green Bay. His 714 career wins ranks 19th all-time among DI women's basketball coaches. He also ranks inside the nation's top 10 in career wins among active DI coaches. Due in large part to Borseth's leadership, Green Bay is also featured in the nation's top 10 for winningest college basketball programs in the country. The Phoenix is one of only 12 teams to reach more than 1,000 wins, doing so in only 46 seasons.
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