GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) --- Following its best win of the season, Green Bay will make the IUPUI-UIC road trip this coming weekend on Thursday and Saturday. The Phoenix took down league-leading Wright State on Sunday afternoon, and will now seek revenge against the Jaguars while looking for the season sweep of the Flames on Saturday.
Both contests will be streamed live on ESPN family of networks and can also be heard on WDUZ The Fan 107.5 FM with Brian Kuklinski on the call.
CURRENT HORIZON LEAGUE STANDINGS
CATCH THE ACTION: Thursday, Feb. 6, 10 a.m. CT // Indianapolis, Ind. ( Indiana Farmers Coliseum)
Matchup #1: Green Bay Phoenix (11-13, 6-5 HL) vs. IUPUI Jaguars (6-18, 2-9 HL)
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Where to Follow Stats: www.iupuijags.com
Where to Listen: The Fan WDUZ 1400 AM
Game Notes: Green Bay | IUPUI
CATCH THE ACTION: Saturday, February 8, 3:12 p.m. // Chicago, Ill. (Credit Union 1 Arena)
Matchup #2: Green Bay Phoenix (11-13, 6-5 HL) vs. UIC Flames (11-13, 6-5 HL)
Where to Watch: ESPN3
Where to Follow Stats: www.uicflames.com
Where to Listen: The Fan WDUZ 107.5 FM
Game Notes: Green Bay |
UIC
For Live in-game updates, follow the Phoenix on social media: Twitter - @gbphoenixmbb, Instagram - @gbphoenixmbb
LAST GAME'S STARTERS
LAST TIME OUT (@Green Bay 92, Wright State 89; February 2)
- Using a 53-point second half and a combined 60 points from its starting guards, Green Bay took down Horizon League-leading Wright State 92-89 at the Resch Center on Super Bowl Sunday. The Phoenix (11-13, 6-5 HL) picked up its biggest win of the season, and a what could be a very valuable tiebreaker in terms of the Horizon League Tournament seeding. The Raiders (19-5, 9-2 HL) entered the game on a four-game winning streak, and winners in 12 of its last 13 contests overall.
- Green Bay can hang its hat on going 2-2 against what is believed to be the league's top two teams in Wright State and Northern Kentucky, which GB defeated on the road earlier this season. GB is now in a 3-way tie for third place in the Horizon League standings, sitting at 6-5 with UIC and Youngstown State.
- The trio of Amari Davis (24 points), Kameron Hankerson (22 points) and JayQuan McCloud (14 points) was clicking throughout the game, the most combined points the three have scored in a game this season. Hankerson and Davis combined to 16-for-24 from the field, with McCloud helping the trio go 18-for-22 at the free throw line.
- Hanging on to a lead late in the game, the Raiders wouldn't go down without a fight. After Hankerson's fourth-straight free throw was missed (he made the previous three), Wright State had the ball on the final possession looking to tie the game. Cole Gentry's 24-foot 3-pointer was off the mark and the Phoenix held on at home, sending the loud Resch Center fan base home to its Super Bowl post with a Phoenix victory.
- It was a 3-pointer by PJ Pipes with 5:30 left in the game that gave GB the 70-69 lead, which they would never let go.
- Manny Patterson played a key role as well, scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds, but more impressively holding down the front-runner for Player of the Year in the conference, Loudon Love. Love finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, but needed the help of seven made free throws to build his stat line.
- As a team, GB shot the ball extremely well, shooting 54.5 percent (30-for-55) in the game. The second half was even better, with the Phoenix making 15 of its 26 attempts for 58 percent.
SERIES HISTORY
- IUPUI: It goes without saying that Green Bay has not faired well against IUPUI since they joined the Horizon League in 2017-18, having lost all five games since that time. GB is 3-7 all-time against the Jaguars, and has not won at IUPUI since Jan. 8, 1977. GB will look to turn the tides this week.
- UIC: GB has had UIC's number over the last four meetings, winning four-straight in the series including a home win earlier this year 85-71. The Phoenix owns a 37-15 all-time record against the Flames, and is 24-22 in Chicago in those games. Coach Darner is 8-3 all-time against UIC.
ABOUT GREEN BAY...
RESCHED THE RAIDERS
- Holding the Horizon League's top team to a miss on the final possession, Green Bay was able to register its most impressive win to date this season. GB held on 92-89, shooting just under 58 percent in the second half and getting 60 points from its starting guard trio of Amari Davis (24p), Kameron Hankerson (22p) and JayQuan McCloud (14p). Wright State entered the game winners of 12 of its last 13 games, but Green Bay wouldn't be denied on Super Bowl Sunday. The 92 points scored are the most WSU has allowed in a game this season, and the second-most points GB has allowed in an HL game this year. The win could be a critical feather in the GB cap this season, holding a strong tiebreaker should GB need it in terms of seeding.
SEVENTH HEAVEN
- Becoming just the fifth player in Horizon League history to win the award seven times, Green Bay freshman guard Amari Davis claimed yet another Horizon League Freshman of the Week award. Davis continues to add to his Green Bay record total this season, earning the award after helping Green Bay secure a huge home win over Wright State on Sunday. Davis is now averaging 16.0 PPG this season, and ranks second in the HL in field goal percentage at 51.5 percent on the season. Davis' week: The left-handed freshman Amari Davis was the catalyst to Green Bay's upset win over league-leading Wright State, pouring in a game-high 24 points on a scorching 8-for-11 shooting performance. Davis his 8-of-10 free throw attempts against the Raiders, two days after leading the team with 14 points in a home defeat against Northern Kentucky. On the weekend, Davis finished 14-for-27 from the field and averaged 19.0 PPG and 4.5 RPG. Davis is tied for the team lead in scoring with JayQuan McCloud, both averaging 16.0 PPG. He now has four games in Horizon League play this season with 20 points or more and seven games in double-figures.
TOP OF THE STATS
Green Bay leads the Horizon League and ranks nationally in multiple key categories. Here is where Green Bay stacks up among the 10 Horizon League teams, and nationally in some stats:
- 1st in scoring offense (81.5 PPG) **Ranks 10th in the NCAA
- 1st in assists per game (16.8 APG) **Ranks 11th in the NCAA
- 1st in field goal percentage (45.9%)
- 1st in 3-point field goal percentage (37.2%) **Ranks 29th in the NCAA
- 1st in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.34-1)
- 2nd in turnover margin (2.25-1)
- 2nd in free throw percentage (74.1%)
- 3rd in steals (7.2 SPG)
FIRST TIME AROUND vs IUPUI
- The Jaguars had the best offensive game of their season when the two teams met the first time around, scoring a season-high 93 points in large part due to the 14 made 3s they had on 28 attempts. IUPUI simply could not miss, while Green Bay kept trying to claw back in the game. Jaylen Minnett (31p) and Marcus Burk (27p) were on fire, combining for 10 made 3s in the game, with Elyjah Goss scoring 13 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. It was just one of those games for the Phoenix, who were led by PJ Pipes with 18 points on a career-high six 3-pointers. GB answered the bell in the second half, but the 53 first-half points were too much to overcome. GB can throw out that game film, and focus on the second meeting, looking for the season sweep of Jaguars who have lost six of their last seven games, and have yet to win a home game in HL play.
FIRST TIME AROUND vs UIC
- A 52-point second half powered the Phoenix to an 85-71 win over the Flames back on Jan. 3, the Horizon League home-opener for GB. Five players scored in double-figures for the Phoenix, with four of five starters getting 11 points or more. Amari Davis led all GB players with 21 points, and the Phoenix defense held UIC to 6-for-21 from long range, forcing 13 turnovers. GB went 23-for-26 from the free throw line and shot 14-for-25 in the second half, which moved its league record to 2-1 at that time.
ROAD RAGE
- GB will play its next five games on the road, starting with IUPU and UIC. GB has gone 3-2 over its last five road games, and has split the two HL road swings it has made this season, winning at NKU and at CSU. GB will look for at least a split once again this weekend. GB will be challenged with playing the role of visitor, as it jockeys for better position in the Horizon League standings. The Phoenix has played at tough road venues this season, hoping it prepares them for the rigors of HL road play. The team played at Purdue, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Xavier in the nonconference.
McCLOUD NINE
- Senior JayQuan McCloud continues to be the offensive catalyst for Green Bay this season, scoring in double-figures in seven-straight games, including a pair of 30-point performances on the road at Cleveland State and Youngstown State. McCloud is tied for the team lead in scoring with 16.0 PPG, tied for fourth in the Horizon League this season. McCloud ranks second in the HL in free throw percentage, making 92 of 106 attempts for 86.8 percent. The North Chicago native, who will be returning home on Saturday for the matchup with UIC, has scored in double-figures in 10 of 11 games, with his only single digit performance coming against, none other than IUPUI.
3X3U: McCLOUD AND HANKERSON
- Guards JayQuan McCloud and Kameron Hankerson are two of 10 Horizon League seniors named to the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship Midseason Watch List, which was announced on Tuesday. The 2020 event is scheduled for April 3-5 at Atlanta's Atlantic Station, where it will be contested outdoors for the first time.
- In what is the single-largest gathering of draft-eligible talent in the months leading up to the NBA Draft, the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship features 128 seniors from all 32 Division I conferences vying for one of the biggest purses at any FIBA-sanctioned 3x3 event. Teams will compete for $150,000, with $100,000 going to the tournament champions. The winning team will once again earn an automatic berth to the 2020 USA Basketball 3x3 Open National Championship in May.
- Both players are averaging in double-figures for the Phoenix this season, with McCloud averaging a team-best 16.0 PPG and Hankerson averaging 10.2 PPG. Both players have started in all 11 Horizon League contests this season, making up a formidable backcourt with freshman Amari Davis. McCloud and Hankerson have combined to score over 1,700 points in their GB careers.
NOTABLE NO. 900
- Green Bay set a pair of school records in the 126-64 win over Concordia Univ. Chicago on December 18 at the Kress Center, scoring the most points ever in a game and making the most field goals as well (51). All eight players had at least 10 points in the game, a product of the season-high 28 assists. GB shot a season-high 65.4 percent from the field, pouring in a program-record 72 points in the first half alone. GB also registered 19 steals, tied for fourth all time in a single game. The win marked the 900th win in program history, which started back in 1969, an average of around 18 wins a season.
CONNECTING WITH KENPOM
- After three games in the books, Green Bay has played at the 11th-fastest pace among all NCAA Division I teams, averaging 73.3 possessions per 40 minutes. In the four seasons under Linc Darner, here is where Green Bay has ranked in adjusted tempo:
- 2018-19: 13th
- 2017-18: 23rd
- 2016-17: 7th
- 2015-16: 6th
HORIZON HAPPY
- With its 10 wins last season, GB has now won 10 or more games in League play in seven of the last eight seasons, and the third time in four seasons under Darner. The team has finished fourth or higher in the HL in six out of the last seven seasons as well, earning a postseason appearance in each of those six seasons. The HL preseason poll has GB tabbed fifth, behind Wright State, NKU, UIC and Oakland.
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