GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay women's basketball team will ride a seven-game winning streak heading into this weekend's pair of games at the Kress Center. GB will host Youngstown State tomorrow night before welcoming Robert Morris to Titletown on Saturday afternoon.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Green Bay (12-3, 5-0 HL) vs. Youngstown State (6-10, 2-4 HL)
Thursday, January 11, 2024 |
Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night
7:00 PM CST |
Tickets |Â
Game Notes |
History
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Listen |
Live Stats
Green Bay vs. Robert Morris
Saturday, January 13, 2024 |
Phlash's Birthday (Mascot Party) | Festival Foods Family Day
1:00 PM CST |
Tickets |
History
Follow the action: Watch |
Listen |
Live Stats
ON THE CALL
Both games will be streamed live on
ESPN+, on
watchespn.com, and in the
ESPN App.
Ted Stefaniak (play-by-play) will be joined by
Kati Coleman (analyst) on the ESPN+ stream.
Bill Rabeor will handle the play-by-play on
WDUZ The Fan 107.5 FM.
Saturday's contest will air on
95.5 FM and 1400 AM, with
Brian Kuklinski on the call.
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ABOUT THE PENGUINS
Despite having a dominant 45-6 record all-time against Youngstown State, the Penguins have had recent success against GB, winning three of the last eight matchups, including last year's contest in Green Bay. Prior to last season, GB hadn't lost at home to YSU since 2014. Green Bay will look to improve on its 23-3 home record against YSU, and 6-0 home record this year. Acting Head Coach John Nicolais has the Penguins off to a 6-10 start this season and is a reason for the success of Emily Saunders, who paces the Penguins in three key statistical categories. The fifth-year forward, who stands at 6-foot-5, averages a team-leading 11.4 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, and 2.3 blocks per contest, which ranks first in the Horizon League by nearly a full block.
ABOUT THE COLONIALS
Robert Morris will visit Milwaukee for a tilt on Thursday afternoon. The Colonials enter their game against the Panthers with a 6-9 overall record and a 2-4 conference record. RMU has dropped the last three contests, including a three-point loss to Wright State. Head Coach Charlie Buscaglia is in his eighth season with Robert Morris, tallying a 126-93 record. Simone Morris is the only Colonial to average double figures at 11.2 PPG. Danielle Vuletich paces RMU with 7.4 rebounds per game.
MONEY MCNEAL
Natalie McNeal has been crashing the boards hard this season, pacing the squad with 6.2 rebounds per game. The fourth-year player from Germantown, Wisconsin is in her second season as a Phoenix after spending her first two collegiate years with Saint Louis. Her 6.2 RPG is currently on pace for a career-high. Her previous high was 5.3 RPG with the Billikens during the 2021-22 season. McNeal tallied a season-high nine boards against Parkside on December 19.
BEARS, BEETS... BAILEY BUTLER
Bailey Butler is one of four Phoenix to have recorded 10 or more steals on the squad. She has 37 total steals, an average of 2.47 SPG, which ranks 56th in the country.
Natalie McNeal and
Cassie Schiltz are the next-closest to Butler with 13 steals apiece. Seven Phoenix have tallied seven or more steals, including all five starters, as well as
Natalie Andersen and
Callie Genke. Butler has also been lethal from the charity stripe, knocking down all 24 of her free throw attempts.
GO BIG OR GO HOME
When Green Bay wins this season, they dominate. The Phoenix has been part of numerous games where the contest was decided by 11 or more points. In 2022-23, GB was 21-2 in such games, and has started this season 11-1 in the same category. Green Bay lost to Northern Iowa by 11 in the season opener before beating Illinois State by 26, then-No. 22-ranked Creighton by 12, then-No. 23-ranked Washington State by 11, Milwaukee by 23 in the Horizon League opener on November 30, and Saint Louis by 33. GB handled Cleveland State by a baker's dozen less than two weeks ago before winning both road games last weekend by a combined 42 points.
SHINING SCHREIBER
Maddy Schreiber has been a big part of Green Bay's early-season success, scoring at least 12 points in 10 of the first 15 contests, including four straight prior to the UIC game several weeks ago. In those 10 games, GB's record is 8-2. She chipped in with 12 points in the upset win over then No. 23-ranked Washington State, 14 points in the upset victory over then No. 22-ranked Creighton, and poured in a career-high 23 points in the win over Milwaukee on November 30. Schreiber led all scorers with 19 points in GB's blowout win over Saint Louis. Schreiber tallied 16 points in the win over Cleveland State last weekend before leading all scorers with 20 against the Raiders last weekend, marking the sixth time she's scored 15+ points in a game this season (fourth time in the last six games), while pacing GB in single-game scoring for the eighth time this year.
WINNER WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER
GB has started the 2023-24 campaign 9-0 against winning teams. The Phoenix took care of business of Illinois State, then-ranked No. 22-ranked Creighton, then-ranked No. 23-ranked Washington State, Milwaukee, Parkside, Cleveland State, Purdue Fort Wayne, and Wright State, all who had an above-.500 record when facing GB. Green Bay went 9-3 against winning teams last season.
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CASSIE CASHING IN
For the first time since 2018, the Horizon League tabbed both a Green Bay men's and women's basketball player as the Player of the Week.
Cassie Schiltz took home the accolade for the first time in her career last week after dominating in GB's pair of games over the New Year's weekend. The Luxemburg native racked up a career-high 27 points in GB's 13-point victory over Cleveland State before piling on a career-high nine assists in Green Bay's rout over Purdue Fort Wayne on New Year's Day.
BEST IN THE NATION
Green Bay ranks in the top 50 in the country in a half-dozen statisical categories, including the following:
- Scoring Margin (+16.1, T-41st)
- Field Goal Percentage (49.4, 9th)
- Free Throw Percentage (82.0, 2nd)
- Assists per Game (19.0, T-18th)
- Turnovers per Game (11.3, 6th)
- Assist-to-turnover ratio (1.68, 3rd)
WELCOME TO TITLETOWN
The Phoenix boasts a trio of true freshmen (
Maren Westin,
Sophie Lahti, and
Meghan Schultz) and one transfer (
Natalie Andersen, IUPUI). Westin and Andersen are guards, while Lahti and Schultz bring height to the forward position. Schultz stands at six feet, four inches, surpassing
Kendall Renard as the tallest player on the team. The Phoenix once again boast a roster of mostly homegrown talent. Of the 13 players on the roster, 10 are from the dairyland. Only Westin (Becker, Minn.), Lahti (Pine City, Minn.), and
Jenna Guyer (Circle Pines, Minn.) are not from Wisconsin.
#HLWBB PRESEASON POLL
Green Bay will be playing Horizon League contests for the rest of the season. GB was unanimously voted to finish in the top spot, with reigning Tournament champion Cleveland State picked to finish second. Here's how the League thinks the conference will shake out:
Pl. Team - Pts. (First-place votes)
1. Green Bay (11) - 121
2. Cleveland State - 107
3. Youngstown State - 95
4. Purdue Fort Wayne - 90
5. Northern Kentucky - 63
6. Milwaukee - 59
7. Wright State - 54
8. Oakland - 53
9. IUPUI - 49
10. Detroit Mercy - 21
11. Robert Morris - 14
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