INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Green Bay women's basketball team is headed back to the Horizon League Championship tomorrow after outlasting No. 6 Purdue Fort Wayne in the semifinals, 69-65. The Phoenix will take on No. 2 Cleveland State tomorrow at 11 a.m. CT at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
The Phoenix (27-4) had four players score in double figures, led by
Cassie Schiltz, who had 17 points and seven rebounds.
Sydney Levy tacked on 14 points and four assists while
Natalie McNeal had a near double-double in 20 minutes with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Green Bay grabbed 38 rebounds in Monday's game compared to Purdue Fort Wayne's 32, led by McNeal's nine. The Phoenix also put in work on the offensive glass, turning 11 rebounds into six second chance points.
Green Bay did a great job disrupting Purdue Fort Wayne shots in the contest, coming away with seven blocks.
Jasmine Kondrakiewicz's five rejections led the way individually for the Phoenix and is the most in a single game since Nicole Soulis had five in 2006.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Mastodons came to play early, going up 15-5 after a Sylare Starks jumper with 3:18 left in the first. Green Bay struggled to generate much offense in the frame, finishing the quarter 2-for-16 (12.5 percent) and going into the quarter break down 17-7.
PFW held the Phoenix at bay for most of the quarter, leading 30-21 with just 2:37 to go in the first half. However, the Phoenix responded with an 11-2 run that was capped off by a McNeal buzzer beater to help GB tie the game at 32 heading into halftime. Green Bay saw non-starters score 13 of its 25 total points off the bench in the quarter.
Green Bay used that end of the half momentum and ripped off another 7-0 run, punctuated by a basket from
Callie Genke, to grab a 41-34 lead with 6:52 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Mastodons would cut into that lead somewhat, with the Phoenix maintaining a 52-47 edge.
After five points in the game's first three quarters, Levy finished the game strong. Green Bay's leading scorer came alive with three threes in three minutes to give GB a 63-52 lead with 5:42 left in the game. The Mastodons would not go away, bringing the game back to within four with just over two minutes to go. The Phoenix was able to close PFW out thanks to a
Bailey Butler jumper and pair of free throws.
To view postgame comments from
Cassie Schiltz,
Sydney Levy, and head coach
Kevin Borseth, click
HERE.
GAME NOTES
» The Phoenix shot well from three point range, knocking down eight of 20 long range attempts (40.0 percent).
» The Phoenix held the Mastodons to only 40 percent shooting from the field.
» Green Bay never trailed in the second half.
» Green Bay tallied 15 total assists in the game.
» Green Bay had a 38-32 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Green Bay defense forced 13 turnovers.
» Both teams scored 28 points in the paint.
» Green Bay cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 11 offensive boards in the game.
» Kondrakiewicz's five blocks are a career-high in a single game.
» The GB bench outscored PFW's 19-10.
CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND
The Phoenix will play in its 25th Horizon League Championship game tomorrow at 11 a.m. CT at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Green Bay is 19-5 in previous MCC/Horizon League Championship games.
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