GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) --- Green Bay travels to the Windy City for a weekend pairing against UIC to close out the regular season. Friday's and Saturday's contests will both tip at 7 p.m. and be streamed live on ESPN3.

GAME INFORMATION
Friday at UIC // February 19, 2021
Credit Union 1 Arena // Tipoff at 7PM
Watch Live on ESPN3

GAME INFORMATION
Saturday at UIC // February 20, 2021
Credit Union 1 Arena // Tipoff at 7PM
Watch Live on ESPN3

SCOUTING THE FLAMES
UIC enters the weekend on a seven-game losing streak, most recently falling on the road to IUPUI. Although UIC is 8-11 on the season and 5-9 in league play, the Chicago-based program has fared well at home - owning a 6-3 record within the confines of Credit Union 1 Arena. The Flames are led by newcomer Teyvion Kirk who averages 14.2 PPG and 6.8 RPG. 

PHOENIX RISING
Manny Ansong has brought new meaning to the phrase 'Phoenix Rising' with his ability to play above the rim. He has been a consistent scorer for Green Bay, reaching double figure six times and scoring a season-high 24 points against NKU. Ansong also leads the team on the boards with 4.7 RPG. He has recorded a season-high nine rebounds four times this year.

BEASTS IN THE BACKCOURT
Green Bay boasts some of the best guards in the Horizon League, as Amari Davis (17.1PPG), Josh Jefferson (15.5PPG) and PJ Pipes (13.7 PPG) lead the Phoenix in scoring and all rank inside the top 20 in the Horizon League. Lucas Stieber is the commander of the Phoenix offense and ranks third in the conference with a 3.4 assist/turnover ratio. He also ranks eighth in the league with 4.0 APG.

PERFECTION FROM PIPES
PJ Pipes started the season a remarkable 47-for-47 from the free throw line. Dating back to last season, PJ Pipes made 49-consecutive free throws, breaking Mike Schachtner's program record of 32 consecutive set back in the 2008-09 season.

STIFLING STIEBER
Lucas Stieber has been a problem for opposing teams this season, especially as of late. He leads the team in blocks and recently recorded three, a career high, against IUPUI. After recording four last weekend, Stieber has tallied at least one block in seven-consecutive games.

MORE FROM MANNY
After recently receiving a waiver from the NCAA, junior Manny Ansong has made his presence felt on the floor for the Phoenix. The junior has already registered six double-figure scoring games and led the Phoenix in scoring twice.

THAT'S (AMARI)
Amari Davis is playing some of the best basketball of his young career and has scored at least 20 points in eight games this season and led the Phoenix in scoring nine times.  The sophomore has scored in double figures in 16 of his past 18 games.

NO TIME FOR TURNOVERS
The Green Bay men's basketball team prides itself on taking care of the rock. GB has either matched or won the turnover battle in 13 games this season.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE
It's no secret PJ Pipes is a leader on the GB men's basketball team, and he took his leadership to new heights this year at Youngstown State. Pipes led the Phoenix in scoring in both contests and willed Green Bay to victory with a career-high 30 points in game two against the Penguins. Pipes has led the Phoenix in scoring five times this season.

WE WANT MOORE
Toledo transfer Donavan Moore is now immediately eligible after the NCAA Division I Council voted Wednesday to grant a blanket waiver allowing all Division-I transfers to play immediately this year. 

ANSONG ELIGIBLE
Forward Emmanuel Ansong had his NCAA waiver request officially granted on Tuesday, Dec. 22 receiving immediate eligibility to play this season for the Phoenix. Ansong didn't technically qualify for the blanket waiver the NCAA Division I council approved, as he transferred from Wheeling University (a Division II institution) with the waiver only applying to those who transferred from a NCAA Division I institution to another. Ansong played under Coach Ryan at Wheeling.

FINDING HIS RANGE
It may come as a shock considering Amari Davis was the HL Freshman of the Year and broke the program's freshman scoring record set by Hall of Famer Tony Bennet in 1989, but he sank his first career three-pointer in the second half of GB's matchup at #4 Wisconsin this season. Davis has since added shots from deep to his repertoire, shooting 32.3% (20-62) from long range this season.

TAKING ON THE TOP
Green Bay made the trek to Ohio on consecutive Holiday Weekends to close out 2020 and open 2021, battling league-favorite Wright State on Dec. 26/27 before taking on the team picked to finish second in the conference, Youngstown State, on Jan. 1/2. GB battled with both programs and either led or was tied at some point in the second half of all four games.

YOUNG PHOENIX FLYING
Three freshmen Phoenix graced the starting lineup in Green Bay's first win of the season at Youngstown State. Lucas Stieber, Ryan Claflin and Terrance Thompson earned the starting spots and combined for 72 of GB's 200 minutes in the game. The young trio has already combined for 28 starts this season.

THOMPSON HANGING TOUGH
Freshman Terrance Thompson has made 11 starts for the Phoenix in his first season and recently notched a career-high 11 points in GB's win at Youngstown State.

BATTLES WITH B1G PROGRAMS
The Green Bay men's basketball hasn't shied away from tough competition to open the season, taking the floor against back-to-back opponents from the big ten. One of those matchups included the #4 ranked Wisconsin Badgers. The Phoenix also took the hardwood against Marquette after their upset over the Badgers, battling the Golden Eagles to the end before falling 82-68.

OUR REIGNING ROOKIE
Sophomore Amari Davis was named the Horizon League freshman of the year last season and earned an all-league third-team nod. In result, Davis was named to the preseason all-league first team and will look to build upon last year's success.


RYAN'S FIRST RECRUITING CLASS
Head coach Will Ryan completed his first recruiting class at the helm of the Green Bay basketball program in early November, as three in-state standouts inked national letters of intent to play for the Phoenix during the signing period. Kamari McGee (Racine, Wis.), Brayden Dailey (Cuba City, Wis.) and Cade Meyer (Monroe, Wis.) will all join the roster next season. McGee, Meyer and Dailey are widely considered three of the top-10 players from Wisconsin in the 2021 class.

DAVIS' DOMINANT FRESHMAN CAMPAIGN
Not only did Amari Davis cement his name in the Phoenix record books, he also left his mark from a league-wide standpoint when he accumulated 10 HL freshman of the week honors, breaking Dikembe Dixson's record of eight set in 2015-16.

WELCOMING WILL RYAN
Head coach Will Ryan joins the Phoenix after a year at Wheeling University where he improved the Cardinal's record from 9-21 to 14-13. 

FRESH PHOENIX FACES
Green Bay welcomes a total of 11 new members to the squad in 2020-21 and returns only two players with in-game experience from last season. The Phoenix has eight freshmen on the roster.

JEFFERSON JUMPING IN
Josh Jefferson, a transfer from Illinois State in 2019-20, is eligible for the 2020-21 season after sitting out last year due to NCAA division I transfer rules. Jefferson averaged 8.7 PPG with the Redbirds and buried 41 triples in 21 games.

RETURNING MINUTES
Green Bay returns two starters from last season, senior PJ Pipes and sophomore Amari Davis, who also happen to be the only players returning to the roster who donned the green and white for the Phoenix. Pipes averaged 27.1 MPG and Davis logged 28.6 MPG, totaling 55.7 of the possible 200 minutes. That's 28% of the team's minutes from last season.

RYAN'S RECORD ON STAFF
Will Ryan joined his father's staff at Wisconsin in 2002 and has made stops at North Dakota State (2007-14), Ohio (2014-19) and Wheeling (2019-20) before taking the helm at Green Bay. His record on staff at previous stops is an impressive 352-221.

Overall Record before GB: 352-221
Wisconsin: 123-42
North Dakota State: 134-84
Ohio: 81-77
Wheeling: 14-13

KRASHING THE KRESS
Since the inception of the Kress Events Center in November 2007, the men's basketball program has taken the floor in official game action 25 times. The Phoenix owns a 17-8 record in those contests.
 
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