CHICAGO, Ill. – Green Bay women's basketball came up just short of DePaul in a thrilling game early Tuesday afternoon. Natalie McNeal led the Phoenix (5-3, 1-0 HL) by tying her career-high in points (16), and Maddy Schreiber also tacked on 16 points, but the Blue Demons (5-4, 0-0 Big East) snapped GB's two-game win streak.
Anaya Peoples paced DePaul with 22 points, and Jorie Allen added another 19.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both squads had a sluggish first quarter, combining to shoot just 7-for-29. GB and DePaul also combined for 0-for-15 from beyond the arc, and it remained a four-point game after the opening 10 minutes, with the Blue Demons leading 11-7. The Phoenix started to pick things up in the second quarter, beginning with an and-one from McNeal, cutting the deficit to 18-10. Green Bay found a rhythm from there, ripping off a 12-3 run, eventually taking a 22-21 lead after McNeal drilled a pair of free throws. It was a back-and-forth affair leading up to the halftime buzzer, but Jade Edwards sunk a triple in the final seconds, giving the Blue Demons a 31-26 advantage going into the locker room.
DePaul looked like they would pull away early in the third quarter after Peoples finished a drive to the rim, extending DPU's lead to 38-28. However, GB had no quit and started a comeback attempt with a Bailey Butler mid-range jumper. The Phoenix went on an 11-5 run, bringing the game to within two possessions. Butler capped off the quarter with a last-second layup to make it 47-45 in favor of DePaul. Green Bay was hot to begin the final frame and eventually took the lead on a Callie Genke trey to make it 54-52. The Phoenix had to fight back after Peoples made another jumper and did so after Schreiber drove through the paint for a layup, tying the contest at 58-58. From there, Kate Clarke splashed a triple, and Peoples made a jumper after a GB turnover, giving DePaul a five-point advantage. The Blue Demons iced the game from the charity stripe, closing the contest for a 68-64 final.
GAME NOTES
» Green Bay's defense forced 15 turnovers.
» DePaul had a 39-34 edge on the boards.
» Each team tallied seven steals.
» There were six lead changes and five ties during the contest.
COMING UP
Green Bay will head back to Titletown to begin a five-game homestand next Wednesday at 7 p.m. against former Horizon League foe UIC. Fans will receive a complimentary beach towel, courtesy of 4imprint. Purchase tickets here, or if you can't make it to the Kress Center, watch the game on ESPN+ and follow with live stats.
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