Green Bay, Wis. – The Green Bay men's basketball team will begin a four-game homestand Thursday night as they host the IUPUI Jaguars, before taking on UIC on Saturday. Thursday is the first game for the Phoenix since the 63-49 loss to Milwaukee on Jan. 5. GB was scheduled to travel to Oakland and Detroit Mercy this past weekend, but the games were canceled due to health and safety protocols within the Green Bay program.

Thursday, Jan. 13 – 7 p.m. CT – RESCH CENTER
IUPUI vs. Green Bay
Bud Light Night | Cellcom Giveaway Series
Links: Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Tickets

Saturday, Jan. 15 – 6 p.m. CT – RESCH CENTER
UIC vs. Green Bay
Festival Foods Family Game | Alumni Day
Links: Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Tickets

ABOUT THE JAGUARS
IUPUI has struggled to find their footing under first-year head coach Matt Crenshaw. Their lone victory was a 61-41 win over Spalding University at home on November 23, 2021. The bright spot for IUIPUI has been B.J. Maxwell, who leads the team in scoring with 11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Maxwell plays a team-high 31.7 minutes per game.
 
ABOUT THE FLAMES
UIC has started the year 5-8 and is coming off of a thrilling 67-65 win over IUPUI on Monday, Jan. 10. Kevin Johnson led the way for the Flames, scoring 17 points and dishing out six assists. UIC is 1-3 in Horizon League play, dropping games to Oakland, Detroit Mercy, and Wright State earlier this season. The Flames are led by guard Damaria Franklin, who averages 16.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest. The roster features two other players who average 10+ ppg, including Johnson (12.2), and Zion Griffin (12.0)..

SERIES HISTORY
The Phoenix and IUPUI go all the way back to 1977 with their series history. However, eight of the previous 13 games have come since 2018, when the Jaguars joined the Horizon League. Green Bay is 5-8 against IUPUI after splitting a home series last year. The Phoenix owns a 65-41 record against the UIC Flames, also splitting the series against them last year.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Green Bay's games against Oakland and Detroit Mercy were deemed no contests by the Horizon League due to COVID-19. Prior to that, the Phoenix fell short to the Milwaukee Panthers at home on January 5. Kamari McGee led Green Bay with a career-high 22 points in the loss.
 
STEADY STIEBER
Of 345 eligible players, Lucas Stieber is 30^th nationally in assist to turnover ratio (2.67). There are 12 total Horizon League players on the list, but Stieber is one of just two HL players in the top 50, and one of just four HL players in the top 100. Cleveland State's Deshon Parker is 36^th, UIC's Jalen Warren is 58^th, and UIC's Kevin Johnson is 99^th.
 
ANCHORMAN(NY)
Junior Manny Ansong has been GB's anchor this season. He ranks on the team:

• 1^st in points (12.4 PPG)
• 1^st in rebounds (5.3 RPG)
• 1^st in steals (1.0 SPG)
• Tied for 2^nd in blocks (0.50 BPG)
• 1^st in minutes (28.4 MPG)
• 1^st in field goal percentage (53.9-percent)

 
KAMARI CRUSHING IT
True freshman Kamari McGee has stepped up since entering the starting lineup on December 12 against Kansas State. In five games as a starter, McGee is averaging 14.8 points, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 rebounds per game, which has helped him rise to third in points per game on the team this season (10.1 PPG). McGee is also second on the team in assists, racking up 21 (1.5 APG).
 
KELLOGG ON A ROLL
Japannah Kellogg has been on a roll in the last five games. In that stretch, he has:

• Scored in double figures in four of the five games, averaging 11.1 points per contest
• Averaging 6.0 rebounds per game
• His first career double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds on Jan. 5 vs Milwaukee)

 
CHARITY STRIPE CHANCES
Out of 350 Division One teams, Green Bay ranks 44^th nationally in free throw percentage, tied with Arkansas State and Oklahoma at 75.8-percent. The Phoenix is within one-percent of climbing into the top 30.
 
MANNY MAKIN' SHOTS
Manny Ansong leads the Phoenix from the floor, shooting 69-of-128 (53.9-percent). Since following Head Coach Will Ryan from Wheeling University as a transfer for the 2020-21 season, he has played 33 games, starting 21 of them while averaging 11.4 points per contest.
 
FRESHMAN PHENOM
Kamari McGee was named Freshman of the Week on January 10 by the Horizon League after his career-best performance against Milwaukee a week ago. Against the Panthers, McGee scored a season-high 22 points, shooting a perfect eight-for-eight at the free throw line.
 
NEW PHOENIX FACES
Green Bay welcomes eight new members in 2021-22, including five transfers and three true freshmen.
 
Transfers
Mitch Listau (6-4, G | Belmont)
Randy Tucker (6-4, G | Vincennes)
Donovan Ivory (6-6, G | Boise State)
Tutu Majok (6-8, F | Bossier Parish CC)
Nate Jenkins (6-2, G | Iowa)
 
True Freshman
Kamari McGee (6-0, G | Racine St. Catherine's)
Cade Meyer (6-8, F | Monroe)
Brayden Dailey (6-7, F | Cuba City)
 
PRESEASON #HLMBB POLL
Pl. School (1st-place) – Votes
1. Cleveland State (30) – 502
2. Wright State (9) – 463
3. Northern Kentucky (1) – 406
4. Milwaukee (2)– 396
5. Detroit Mercy (2) – 350
6. Oakland – 340
7. Youngstown State – 214
8. UIC – 204
9. Purdue Fort Wayne – 169
10. Robert Morris– 157
11. Green Bay – 146
12. IUPUI - 85
 
###
  
 For the latest and most up-to-date information on Green Bay Athletics and Green Bay Men's Basketball, please visit GreenBayPhoenix.com.
  
 Follow us on Twitter: @GBPhoenix and @GBPhoenixMBB
  
 Like Green Bay Phoenix Athletics and Green Bay Phoenix Men's Basketball on Facebook.
  
 ---GreenBayPhoenix.com---