PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Green Bay men's basketball team wraps up their two-game road trip tomorrow against Providence at 4:00 p.m. Head coach Doug Gottlieb was able to attain his first win as a collegiate head coach after the Phoenix grabbed the 87-73 victory over Western Illinois on Wednesday, led by Anthony Roy's career-high 35 points on 8-of-12 shooting from three.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Green Bay (1-2) vs. Providence (3-0)
Saturday, November 16
4:00 PM CST | Game Notes
Follow the action: Watch (FS2) | Listen (Mixlr) | Live Stats
ABOUT THE FRIARS
Providence is led by second-year head coach Kim English, who previously coached at George Mason, and played for the Detroit Pistons from 2012-13. English led the Friars to a 21-14 overall record last season, with a 10-10 conference record to finish sixth in the Big East, and falling 57-62 in the first round of the 2024 NIT Tournament to Boston College.
Bensley Joseph is the leading scorer for the Friars, averaging 13.7 points, and three assists per game. Chicago State transfer Wesley Cardet Jr is averaging 10.0 points and 6.3 rebounds. Providence's leading returning scorer, Jayden Pierre, leads the team in three-point percentage at 45.5% while averaging 8.7 points per game.
The Providence Friars sit at an undefeated 3-0 record following wins over Central Connecticut, Stonehill, and most recently Hampton, this Tuesday.
HISTORY VS PROVIDENCE
This will be the first-ever matchup between the Phoenix and the Friars, and the first time the two programs will meet in any collegiate sport since a softball match between the two on March 14, 1996.
LAST TIME OUT
Green Bay and coach Doug Gottlieb grabbed their first victory together versus Western Illinois 87-73 on Wednesday. WIU scored the opening bucket of the game, but that was immediately followed up by an 8-0 run from the Phoenix that culminated in a Foster Wonders three with 16:28 to go. The Phoenix would never trail again, as they extended that early lead to 21 before half's end. Roy scored 15 of his 35 points on five first-half three-pointers. GB went into the halftime locker room over WIU with a 47-26 lead.
After extending the lead early in the second half to 23 after another Wonders three with 17:18 to go, the Leathernecks started to cut into the Phoenix lead. An 18-8 run over seven minutes ended in Sean Smith's layup with 10:30 to go to cut GB's lead to 65-52. However, the Phoenix would keep them at arm's length the rest of the way, never letting them get closer than 13 en route to the 87-73 win.
ROY RETURNS
After a stint at NAIA Langston University, where he was named an NAIA All-American First Teamer, Anthony Roy has returned to the Division I floor with Green Bay. After three games back in Division I, Roy has averaged 28.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He also shoots 64.4 percent from the floor and 56.3 percent from three. Roy is sending waves throughout the country, ranking fifth in the NCAA in points per game, and third among guards while leading all D1 players in the NCAA in three pointers made per game with 6.0.
JJ
Freshman Jeremiah Johnson put together the best game of his young collegiate career to date on Wednesday, including a career-high 15-point performance, and 5-for-9 shooting from the floor. Johnson was also a perfect 4-for-4 at the free throw line, bringing his season total to 11-for-12. He also sunk his first career three-pointer, and recorded his first career block and steal.
MONEY MARCUS
After a Horizon League All-Freshman team selection a season ago, Phoenix forward Marcus Hall has been outstanding to start the 2024-25 Season. Hall is currently averaging a team-leading 36.0 minutes per game while pouring in 15.3 points per game to go with a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game. Hall is shooting 45.5-percent from the floor and 26.3-percent from three.
INTERNATIONAL TALENT
The 2024-25 Phoenix roster features players from three foreign countries and eight different U.S. states. Ben Tweedy is from Australia, Roee Oselka is from Israel, and Mouhamadou Cisse is from Senegal.
TOP 10 TURNAROUND
After a program-low 3-29 season in 2022-23, Green Bay bounced back with a resilient 18-14 record a season ago in head coach Sundance Wicks' lone season with the Phoenix, jumping from last in the Horizon League to third. That 15.0 game turnaround is tied for the 10th-best turnaround in NCAA Division I history.
NEW LOOK ROSTER
The Phoenix underwent a roster transformation this past off-season. Of GB's rostered players, five are returners, five are transfers, and eight are incoming freshmen.
FAMILIAR FACES
Multiple returners will play large roles in the upcoming 2024-25 season, including Foster Wonders, Preston Ruedinger, and Marcus Hall. Last season, Ruedinger averaged 8.4, Wonders averaged 7.8, and Hall averaged 6.4 points per game. Mac Wrecke and Ryan Wade are the other two returners and will be featured in Coach Gottlieb's rotation.
OFFSEASON RECAP
A lot happened during the 2024 offseason. Let's get you caught up:
May 12 – Sundance Wicks named Wyoming head men's basketball coach
May 14 - Doug Gottlieb is named the 10th head coach in Green Bay men's basketball history.
June 6 – The rest of the coaching staff is announced, consisting of Aerick Sanders, Damon Archibald, Dennis Harrington, and Kaden LeCapitaine, joining Jordan McCabe.
Over the summer - The Phoenix brings in eight freshmen for the 2024-25 season: Ayden Goll, Jeremiah Johnson, Ben Tweedy, Bennett Basich, C.J. O'Hara, Brady Fitzgerald, Caden Wilkens, and Roee Oselka. Five transfers make their way to Green Bay this season including, Donovan Santoro, Anthony Roy, Muodubem Muoneke, Isaiah Miranda, and Mouhamadou Cisse.
PRESEASON #HLMBB POLL
PL. TEAM (1st PLACE VOTES) – PTS.
T1. Milwaukee (15) – 421
T1. Purdue Fort Wayne (14) – 421
3. Northern Kentucky (4) – 389
4. Oakland (5) – 345
5. Wright State (4) – 315
6. Youngstown State (1) – 272
7. Cleveland State – 252
8. Green Bay – 171
9. Robert Morris – 148
10. IU Indianapolis (1) – 91
11. Detroit Mercy – 79
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