GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay men's basketball team will conclude the 2021-22 home schedule with a matchup against Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday night, before facing Cleveland State in a Sunday matinee.

Friday, Feb. 18 – 7 p.m. CT – KRESS CENTER
Purdue Fort Wayne (16-10, 11-6 HL) vs. Green Bay (4-21, 3-13 HL)
Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Night | Bud Light Night
Links: Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Tickets
 
Sunday, Feb. 20 – 2 p.m. CT – KRESS CENTER
Cleveland State (17-7, 13-4 HL) vs. Green Bay (4-21, 3-13 HL)
Festival Foods Family Game | Fox Communities Mental Health Awareness Game | Krash the Kress
Links: Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Tickets
 
ABOUT THE MASTODONS
Purdue Fort Wayne is coming to the Kress Center as one of the hottest teams in the Horizon League, having won five straight, including a thrilling triple overtime 102-98 win over Cleveland State on Monday. The Mastodons have surged up the HL standings in the past two weeks and now sit in fifth with an 11-6 conference record.
 
The Mastodons are led by a trio of guards, senior Jarred Godfrey, fifth-year Jalon Pipkins, and senior Damian Chong Qui. Godfrey is the team's leading scorer at 15.4 per game, and is also one of the team's best shooters, making 38.6-percent of his three on the year. Pipkins isn't far behind, averaging 13.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Chong Qui is the third Mastodon averaging in double figures, scoring 10.0 points in 31.2 minutes per game. In PFW's win over the Phoenix earlier this season, Pipkins led the way with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor. GB was led by 13 points and three rebounds from Cade Meyer.
 
ABOUT THE VIKINGS
Cleveland State has been near the top of the Horizon League for the majority of the season but has dropped two out of their last four games. The Vikings have the best offense in the HL, scoring a league-leading 76.5 points per game, while also shooting an HL-best 47.6-percent from the floor.
 
The Vikings have two players averaging in double figures, led by senior guard D'Moi Hodge, who averages 16.4 points per game on 49.1-percent shooting from the field and 35.6-percent from three. Wing Torrey Patton is the team's second-leading scorer, chipping in 14.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Phoenix is even with Purdue Fort Wayne in their all-time series, with each team winning two games since the series started last season. Green Bay won the first two, while PFW has taken the last two, including a double-overtime thriller in the first round of the Horizon League tournament last season. The Mastodons entered the Horizon League prior to the 2020-21 season.
 
Green Bay and Cleveland State have been battling each other since 1982, with the Phoenix holding a 51-33 advantage all-time. The Vikings have beaten GB three straight times, sweeping last year when both games were held in Cleveland due to a COVID season, and winning the contest earlier this season, 85-69.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Green Bay traveled down I-43 to face in-state rival Milwaukee last Sunday. It was the lowest-scoring game for the Phoenix this season, dropping the contest 55-44. GB had a five-point advantage at the half, but Milwaukee was hot in the second half, outscoring GB 37-22. Cade Meyer led the Phoenix with a career-high 18 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the field in 28 minutes.
 
HIDDEN CEM
Freshman Cem Kirciman has shown what he is capable of this season, as a dual-threat in the lane and on the perimeter. He is second on the team in shooting percentage (25-of-50, 50-percent). He leads the squad at a 40-percent clip from deep among the eight players who have 20 or more three-point field goal attempts. The Bursa, Turkey native is fourth on GB in assists, collecting 17 on the season.
 
FRESHMAN PHENOM
Cade Meyer has been a force on the floor for Green Bay in the second half of the season. He was named Horizon League Freshman of the Week on Feb. 7 but has been unstoppable since Jan. 15. He has scored in double figures eight times in the last 10 games, including his season-high 18 points at Milwaukee last Sunday. Meyer is third on the team with 8.8 PPG.
 
NATE THE GREAT
Nate Jenkins, one of four transfers this past offseason, has stepped up for the Phoenix. His best performance came on February 4 at Cleveland State, when he recorded a career-high 19 points in a career-high 36 minutes. He shot 5-of-10 from the field that night, including 3-of-6 from deep and a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. In his last five games, including the Cleveland State game, he is averaging:

• 13.0 PPG
• 44-percent from the field (20-of-45 from the field)
• 52-percent from beyond the arc (8-of-19)

 
ANSONG IS THE ANSWER
Emmanuel Ansong has been a consistent force for GB all season. He leads the team in field goal percentage (50.7-percent on 105-of-207 shooting) and paces GB with 11.3 points per contest. One of his best performances came on Dec. 2 against Robert Morris, where he posted 23 points on 11-of-15 shooting, guiding the Phoenix to a 70-58 victory over the Colonials. He's scored in double figures in 15 of GB's 25 games.
 
CRAFTY KAMARI
Kamari McGee has been an offensive threat for GB this season. Despite his smaller size, the true freshman has shown off his ability to score on multiple levels. McGee's 24 points vs. Wright State on Feb. 9 are a career-high, scoring GB's final 15 points in the 62-79 loss.
 
ON THE HORIZON
After the brief homestand, GB will head to UIC on Feb. 24 and IUPUI on Feb. 26 to conclude the regular season.
 
NEW PHOENIX FACES
Green Bay welcomes seven new members in 2021-22, including four transfers and three true freshmen.
 
Transfers
Mitch Listau (6-4, G | Belmont)
Randy Tucker (6-4, G | Vincennes)
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

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