HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Green Bay women's basketball will head out on the road for the first time in nearly a month as they get set to take on Northern Kentucky Friday night before battling Wright State on Sunday. The Phoenix has won five in a row, jumping out to a 10-3 start overall while beginning 3-0 in the Horizon League.
GB has won 10 of its first 13 games for the sixth time in the last 10 seasons, matching the same pace as last season, as well as the 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16, and 2014-15 seasons.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Green Bay (10-3, 3-0 HL) vs. Northern Kentucky (2-10, 0-3 HL)
Friday, January 5, 2024
6:00 PM CST |
Game Notes |
History
Follow the action: Watch |
Listen |
Live Stats
Green Bay vs. Wright State
Sunday, January 7, 2024
12:00 PM CST |
Game Notes |
History
Follow the action: Watch |
Listen |
Live Stats
ON THE CALL
Both games will be streamed on
ESPN+, on watchespn.com, and in the ESPN App.
Matt Sexton (play-by-play) will be joined by
Lindsey Duvall (analyst) on NKU's ESPN+ stream.
Brian Kuklinski will have the play-by-play on
WDUZ The Fan 107.5 Friday evening. Sunday's game at Wright State will be carried on
1400 AM & 95.5 FM.
ABOUT THE NORSE
Northern Kentucky is off to a slow start in the 2023-24 campaign, winning just two of their first 12 games. NKU has struggled defensively, giving up nearly 77 points per contest, which is the second-highest total in the conference. Khamari Mitchell-Steen has been a bright spot for the Norse, ranking either first or second on the team in blocks, steals, assists, rebounds, points, and minutes.
ABOUT THE RAIDERS
Former Green Bay Director of Basketball Operations Kari Hoffman is in her third season at the helm of the Raiders' program. Hoffman arrived in Dayton after spending five seasons as the Head Coach at her alma mater, Cedarville, where she tallied a 106-38 record. WSU has already surpassed its win total from last season (8), entering their Friday night battle against Milwaukee with a 9-6 overall record (3-1 HL). Alexis Hutchinson is a big reason for WSU's success, pacing the Raiders in points per game (19.3 PPG, which leads the Horizon League) and assists per game (2.7 APG).
BEST IN THE NATION
Green Bay ranks in the top 50 in the country in a half-dozen statistical categories, including the following:
- Scoring Margin (+15.4, 50th)
- Field Goal Percentage (49.1, 14th)
- Free Throw Percentage (83.9, 1st)
- Assists per Game (19.3, 16th)
- Turnovers per Game (11.5, 10th)
- Assist-to-turnover ratio (1.68, 3rd)
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 this 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 last Saturday before piling on a career-high nine assists in Green Bay's rout over Purdue Fort Wayne on New Year's Day.
WINNER WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER
GB has started the 2023-24 campaign 8-0 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, and Purdue Fort Wayne, all who had an above-.500 record when facing GB. Green Bay went 9-3 against winning teams last season.
SHINING SCHREIBER
Maddy Schreiber has been a big part of Green Bay's early-season success, scoring at least 12 points in nine of the first 13 contests, including four straight prior to the UIC game. In those nine games, GB's record is 7-2. 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 19 against the Mastodons, marking the fifth time she's scored 15+ points in a game this season (third time in the last four games), while pacing GB in single-game scoring for the seventh time this year.
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 9-1 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 last weekend before crushing PFW by 26 on Monday.
BEARS, BEETS... BAILEY BUTLER
Bailey Butler is one of three Phoenix to have recorded 10 or more steals on the squad. She has 29 total steals, an average of 2.2 SPG, which ranks 90th in the country.
Natalie McNeal and
Cassie Schiltz are the next-closest to Butler with 11 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 20 of her free throw attempts.
LEAN MEAN REBOUNDING MACHINE
Natalie McNeal has been crashing the boards hard this season, pacing the squad with 6.0 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 6.0 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 last week.
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 boasts 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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