GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball is hitting the road for a pair of games this week, starting with a trip to UIC tomorrow for a 7 p.m. tip. Following, the Phoenix will travel to Oklahoma to take on the Sooners on Saturday at 8 p.m.
 
Tuesday, Dec. 12 – CHICAGO, Ill. – Credit Union 1 Arena
Green Bay (4-6) at UIC (6-3)
7:00 PM CT
Follow the action: Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (WDUZ The Fan) | Live Stats | History
 
ABOUT THE FLAMES
UIC is off to the best start in the Luke Yaklich era, sitting at 6-3 after nine games. The Flames enter Tuesday night's game off of a 55-49 win over Jacksonville State on Friday, Dec. 8. UIC maintains the third-best scoring margin in The Valley, outscoring opponents by an average of 11.1 points per game. The defense has been key, as they sport a conference-best 61.1 opponent points per game. Opponents have shot just 37.4 percent from the floor and 21.8 percent from three against UIC.
 
On the other end of the floor, UIC is led by Isaiah Rivera, who averages 15.8 points per game. Rivera is a sniper from deep, hitting on 51.3 percent of shots from three and 55.6 percent overall. Toby Okani and CJ Jones also average in double figures, pouring in 12.4 and 10.1 points, respectively. Okani is a double-double threat, also averaging 8.4 rebounds per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Green Bay comes into the contest following their first home loss of the season to Western Illinois, 68-59. Noah Reynolds led the squad with 14 points, while David Douglas Jr. and Clarence Cummings III each chipped in with 11. Elijah Jones ended the night with nine points and seven rebounds. Western Illinois outshot the Phoenix, finishing the night 28-of-50 (56.0 percent) from the floor, while GB was 21-of-60 (35.0 percent). WIU also shot 5-of-10 (50.0 percent) from deep, while GB went 7-for-36 (19.4 percent). Western Illinois had four in double figures, led by 18 points each from Ryan Myers and Jesiah West.
 
HISTORY VS WESTERN ILLINOIS
Tuesday night will mark the second time the Phoenix and Flames have matched up since UIC joined the Missouri Valley Conference from the Horizon League after the 2022-23 season. The Phoenix and UIC last squared off on Nov. 11, 2022 when UIC traveled to GB and picked up a 78-64 win on the road.
 
Green Bay owns a 65-44 all-time record against UIC, but the Flames have taken three straight and five out of the last six.
 
COUNT ON CUMMINGS
Since his return to the court on Nov. 29, Clarence Cummings III has been a big contributor for the Phoenix off the bench. Cummings has scored in double figures in two of his four games, and is averaging 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. He has also shot well from deep, hitting on six of his 16 attempts (37.5 percent) from three.
 
GREEN BAY GRIT
Green Bay has prided themselves on the defensive end of the floor, holding opponents to the fewest points per game in the Horizon League at 66.2 points per game. GB also holds opponents to the lowest field goal percentage at 41.5 percent.
  
RISE FOR THE REBOUND
The Phoenix has been strong on the boards this season, winning the rebound battle in six of their ten games. Green Bay is second in the Horizon League in defensive rebounds per game with 25.6 and allowing the second-fewest rebounds per game in the HL with 32.4.
  
REYNOLDS ON A MISSION
Noah Reynolds has been a leader on the court for the Phoenix this season. He is currently fourth in the HL in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game. Reynolds also leads the Horizon League in assists with 5.1 per game and a conference-best 51 total assists across ten games.
  
OFFSEASON RECAP
A lot happened during the 2023 offseason, let's get you caught up:
  
March 14 - Sundance Wicks was named the ninth head coach in Green Bay men's basketball history.
March 30 - The rest of the coaching staff is announced. Pat Monaghan, Zach Malvik, and Nic Reynolds are added as assistant coaches and Adam Owens is retained as the Director of Basketball Operations.
April 19 – Will Eames, David Douglas Jr., Preston Ruedinger, and Rich Byhre are added to the roster.
May 1 – Noah Reynolds, Elijah Jones, and Foster Wonders join Green Bay.
June 2 – Rahmon Fletcher joins the staff as the Director of Player Development.
  
IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN GB
Green Bay hired Sundance Wicks as the program's next head coach on March 14, 2023. Wicks comes to the Phoenix after three seasons as an assistant coach at Wyoming. In his first season with the Cowboys, Wicks helped revamp an offense that led the Mountain West in scoring at 76.5 points per game. Prior to his time with the Cowboys, he spent two highly successful years as the head coach at NCAA DII Missouri Western State in St. Joseph, Missouri. The Gillette, Wyo., native led the Griffons to 18 wins in 2019-20, which was the most by the program in 10 years. In his first season at the helm of the program, his team doubled their win total from the year before. In his two seasons, Wicks mentored six All-MIAA players and an NABC All-District selection. Coach Wicks' first win at Green Bay came on Thursday, Nov. 9 against St. Francis (Ill.).
  
NEW LOOK ROSTER
The Phoenix underwent a roster transformation this past offseason. Of GB's 15 rostered players, three are returners, six are transfers, and six are incoming freshmen.
  
FAMILIAR FACES
Two of Green Bay's six transfers have played for coach Wicks prior to his time in GB. Will Eames played under coach Wicks at Missouri Western State in 2019-20 when he was the MIAA Freshman of the Year and All-MIAA honorable mention. Another Phoenix that has played for coach Wicks is Wyoming transfer Noah Reynolds. Reynolds was the second leading scorer on Wyoming last year, averaging 14.5 points per game in 19 games played. 
  
PRESEASON #HLMBB POLL
PL. Team (1st-place votes) – PTS.
  1. Northern Kentucky (18) - 435
  2. Milwaukee (10) - 397
  3. Wright State (12) - 392
  4. Cleveland State (1) - 362
  5. Youngstown State (3) -342
  6. Oakland - 280
  7. Robert Morris- 186
  8. Purdue Fort Wayne- 166
  9. Detroit Mercy- 132
  10. IUPUI - 116
  11. Green Bay – 96
 
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