GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team have their eighth non-conference matchup of the season on deck, as the Phoenix are back home to face the Western Illinois Leathernecks tomorrow night at the Resch Center.
 
Saturday, Dec. 9 – GREEN BAY, Wis. – Resch Center
Western Illinois (4-6) at Green Bay (4-5)
6:00 PM CT
Follow the action: Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (WDUZ The Fan) | Live Stats | Tickets
 
ABOUT THE LEATHERNECKS
Western Illinois will be Green Bay's second straight opponent from the Ohio Valley Conference, where Western Illinois ranks seventh in scoring at 71 points per game while allowing 70.3 points per game. Western Illinois has the most free throw attempts in the conference but also ranks last in free throw percentage with 60.2%. Much like Green Bay, the Leathernecks are a strong rebounding team, leading the conference in total rebounds with 44.8 per game, and 15.1 offensive boards a game also led the OVC.
 
The Leathernecks' leading scorer has been James Dent Jr., who's averaging 15.9 points per game, while also being tied with teammate Ryan Myers with around two assists per game. Myers is the team's lead three-point shooter, hitting 43.4 percent of his attempts from deep. The lead rebounder for Western Illinois is Drew Cisse, who leads the OVC in rebounds with 11.6 boards per game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Green Bay heads into the contest following a single-digit loss on the road against a 6-4 SIUE team by a score of 78-69. Noah Reynolds led the squad with 20 points, eclipsing that 20-point mark for the third time this season. Foster Wonders shot well from deep once more, scoring 11 points with three three-point makes. Elijah Jones led the Phoenix in steals (2), rebounds (5), blocks (1), and put up 11 points for his third double-figure scoring night in the last four games. Green Bay shot well with 47.3% on field goals, however, it was the free throw discrepancy that hindered the Phoenix. The Cougars hit more free throws (28) than double the attempts GB had at the line (14).
 
HISTORY VS WESTERN ILLINOIS
Green Bay and Western Illinois have not crossed paths since 2003, when the Phoenix emerged with an 86-69 victory on the road. Western Illinois and Green Bay have faced off 20 times overall, with the Phoenix winning 13, and Western Illinois winning 7. The Phoenix have won the last two matchups against Western Illinois and the last five meetings in Green Bay.
 
WONDERFUL WONDERS
Foster Wonders' first season with the Phoenix is one that has been trending upwards recently. Wonders has hit double-digit scoring marks in back-to-back games for the first time in his NCAA career. Wonders led Green Bay in their last outing with three makes beyond the arc at SIUE. Foster has been the Phoenix second-leading scorer only behind Noah Reynolds in each of the last two contests, as the sophomore continues to find his footing in an important role on the fresh Phoenix roster.
  
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
Three of Green Bay's four wins this season have come at home. Western Illinois is 0-5 on the road this season, including their last two road games being against Big Ten teams in Illinois and most recently the Wisconsin Badgers. GB will look to stay unbeaten at home while WIU will look to grab that first road win of the season.
 
RISE FOR THE REBOUND
The Phoenix have been strong on the boards this season, winning the rebound battle in six of their nine games. Green Bay is second in the Horizon League in defensive rebounds per game with 26.9 and allowing the second-fewest rebounds per game in the HL with 32.0.
 
REYNOLDS ON A MISSION
Noah Reynolds has been a leader on the court for the Phoenix this season. He is currently fifth in the HL in scoring, averaging 17.7 points per game. Reynolds also leads the Horizon League in assists with 5.3 per game and a conference-best 48 total assists across nine 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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