GREEN BAY, Wis. – For the 21st time in program history, the Green Bay women's basketball team has clinched a share of the Horizon League regular season title! The Phoenix defeated Cleveland State 64-49 Thursday night at the Kress Center and clinched the number one seed in the upcoming 2023 Barbasol Horizon League Championships. GB posted its 12th home victory of the season, the most since tallying 13 home wins in 2018-19. The regular season title is the first for Green Bay since the 2017-18 season.
Natalie McNeal had another incredible night off the bench, leading all players with 16 points. Green Bay (24-4, 17-2 HL) had three other players reach double figures, including Bailey Butler, who added 11 points and five steals, while Sydney Levy chipped in with 10 points. Jasmine Kondrakiewicz posted her second career double-double with 10 points and a game-leading 10 rebounds. Her previous double-double was on Feb. 6, 2021, at Northern Kentucky (18 points, 12 rebounds).
Jordan Reisma led the Vikings (26-4, 16-3 HL) with 11 points. Green Bay held Destiny Leo, the Horizon League's leading scorer, to 11 points. Leo came into the contest averaging over 18 points per game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first quarter presented slow starts for both squads. Green Bay started with an 8-3 lead with 5:05 remaining in the opening frame after Cassie Schiltz dropped in a bucket from midrange. After that, CSU would outscore the Phoenix 8-3 as both teams went cold. GB finished the stanza 1-for-7, while the Vikings went 2-for-10. CSU had multiple chances to score in the final minute of the frame after CSU grabbed four offensive boards, and thanks to a Kondrakiewicz foul, Brittni Moore sunk two free throws to tie the game at 11 after the first 10 minutes.
Both teams didn't shoot the ball particularly well in the first half, but the scoring in the second quarter picked up slightly. Neither squad led by more than three for 8:19 in the frame. McNeal and Kondrakiewicz were active on offense scoring four points each. McNeal closed out the quarter with two free throws, sending Green Bay into halftime with a two-point deficit at 27-25.
After intermission, Cleveland State opened up a five-point lead at 32-27 after Leo knocked down two free throws. The Phoenix would respond, taking a 37-35 lead with 3:52 left in the quarter after Butler drilled a deep triple. CSU answered back nearly 90 seconds later when Deja Williams splashed a three, giving the Vikings a one-point advantage at 38-37. The three-point barrage continued a few minutes later when Schiltz nailed a trey, swinging the advantage back in Green Bay's favor at 40-38 with 1:53 left in the third quarter. Reisma would tie the contest at 40, but a McNeal free throw with 1:24 remaining in the frame would give Green Bay the lead again. The Phoenix never trailed after that free throw and went into the final 10 minutes with a 45-43 lead.
Green Bay played a near-perfect fourth quarter, outscoring CSU 19-6. GB held the Vikings to 3-of-15 from the field and kept Cleveland State scoreless for 6:47. In that span, the Phoenix extended its lead to 10, putting away the Vikings for a 64-49 victory and at least a share of its 21st regular-season Horizon League regular season title.
GAME NOTES
» Green Bay forced 18 Cleveland State turnovers while committing 12. Those takeaways turned into 17 points.
» GB pulled down 14 offensive boards that resulted in nine second-chance points. Green Bay won the overall rebound battle 41-36.
» The Phoenix held the Vikings to only 30.9 percent shooting from the field.
» Green Bay's bench was active, scoring 22 points compared to CSU's 21.
COMING UP
The Phoenix can win the Horizon League regular season title outright with a win over Purdue Fort Wayne, who they host on Saturday at 1 p.m at the Kress Center. Following, they'll host a Horizon League Championship Quarterfinal on Thursday, March 2 at 7 p.m. Tickets for that game can be purchased here.
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