GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay women's basketball team is coming fresh off a first-round bye as they face in-state rival Milwaukee on Thursday in the 2022 KEEPS Horizon League Quarterfinal. The Phoenix last played Saturday, Feb. 26, at Cleveland State, where they took down the Vikings 66-64.
Thursday, March 3 – 7 p.m. CT – KRESS CENTER
(6) Milwaukee (15-15, 13-9 HL) vs (3) Green Bay (19-6, 15-4)
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ABOUT THE PANTHERS
Milwaukee is led by Megan Walstad, who paces the Panthers with 14.7 points per game. She is the only MKE player to average double-figure scoring. The rest of Milwaukee's offense is balanced, with three players averaging eight or more points: McKaela Schmelzer (8.3 PPG), Sydney Staver (8.2 PPG), and Emma Wittmershaus (8.0 PPG). Walstad has also rejected 46 shots this season, which is good for third in the Horizon League. The Panthers share the ball well, having three players in the top 20 in the HL in assists. Schmelzer is eighth with 2.8 APG, Miquela Santoro is 12
th with 2.3 APG, and Walstad is 20
th with 2.0 APG.
As a team, the Panthers scored just as much as they gave up this season, averaging 59.2 points per game and surrendering the same to opponents. It was good enough to finish ninth in offense in the HL, and have the league's sixth-ranked defense. Milwaukee gives up the second-fewest opponent rebounds per game at just 31.3, not far behind IUPUI's 30.0. Both teams will want to avoid putting the opponent at the charity stripe down the stretch, with Milwaukee ranked second in the HL in free-throw percentage (80.2-percent, sixth in the nation), and Green Bay ranked third in the HL at 78.9-percent, eighth in the nation. The two teams split the regular season series, as GB pulled away from MKE, 65-56 at home on Feb. 7, and MKE overcame a 13 point halftime deficit to down GB 50-48 at home on Feb. 21.
SERIES HISTORY
Green Bay is 72-22 all-time against Milwaukee. The Phoenix and Panthers have battled since February of 1975. GB won 17 consecutive games against MKE from Jan. 13, 2007, to March 9, 2013. The two teams split the regular-season series this season, with Green Bay winning 65-56 in GB on February 7, and Milwaukee winning 50-48 in the Cream City on Feb. 21. The last time GB and MKE met in the postseason was the 2017 semifinals, with GB winning 66-59.
LAST TIME OUT
Green Bay closed out the regular season by outlasting the Cleveland State Vikings 66-64 on the road last Saturday.
Hailey Oskey had a day to remember, shooting 7-of-15 and pouring in a career-high 26 points.
POSTSEASON PUSH
Green Bay has a lengthy postseason history. Over the last decade, the Phoenix is:
- 23-12 in postseason play, which includes appearances in the Horizon League Tournament, NCAA tournament, and WNIT.
- Of the 12 losses, eight of them have come either in the NCAA Tournament or WNIT.
- Of the four HL Tournament losses, the most recent came last season at home versus Cleveland State.
AMAZING ACCOLADES
The Horizon league recently announced the All-League awards, and Green Bay was represented the league in a multitude of categories.
Hailey Oskey was named All-League First-Team, while
Maddy Schreiber was tabbed to the All-Freshman team.
Bailey Butler was named both Freshman of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year.
THE BEST OF BUTLER
True freshman
Bailey Butler has had a spectacular season. Named Freshman of the Week four times en route to a Freshman of the Year award, she has been a spark plug off the bench for Green Bay. One of her best games of the season came against Milwaukee on Feb. 7 when she tied a season-high with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting in 23 minutes. She was clutch with an and-one down the stretch in GB's 65-56 win that night.
SENSATIONAL AT THE STRIPE
GB ranks eighth in the nation in free-throw percentage. The Phoenix has four players with at least 10 free throw attempts while shooting 80-percent or higher from the charity stripe:
DEMORALIZING DEFENSE
The Phoenix defense has been suffocating opposing offenses all season long. GB's scoring defense ranks 20th in the nation, and first in the HL, surrendering just 55.1 points per game. In 14 games played since Jan. 6, the Phoenix has allowed less than 60 points 12 times. One of the two games they did allow more than 60 was a 70-69 double-overtime win against Youngstown State. YSU had scored just 58 points through regulation.
SALIENT STATS
GB is 15-0 when scoring 60 or more points in a game, and 14-3 when opponents score less than 60 points. When the final score was separated by 11 or more points, GB is 10-1. The Phoenix is also 14-1 when having a higher shooting percentage than their opponent. GB's 9-1 home record is the best since going 13-0 at home during the 2017-18 season.
LOOK AROUND THE LEAGUE
Three other quarterfinal matchups are set for Thursday night, including:
- (1) IUPUI hosting (8) RMU
- (2) Youngstown State hosting (7) Oakland
- (4) Cleveland State hosting (5) Northern Kentucky
With a win, Green Bay would move on to Indianapolis for a semifinal matchup next Monday, March 7th.
#HLWBB Bracket
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