Men's Basketball 12/20/2024 11:00:00 AM

Green Bay Travels to Des Moines to Square Off with Drake

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay men's basketball will travel to Des Moines, Iowa to take on the undefeated Drake Bulldogs on Saturday at 5 p.m.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Green Bay (2-11) at Drake (10-0)
Saturday, December 21
5:00 PM CST | Game Notes
Follow the action: Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (Mixlr) | Live Stats

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
First year head coach Ben McCollum has the Bulldogs out and running, sitting as one of four teams in the nation still undefeated. McCollum joined Darke after 15 seasons at NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State University, where he won 81.2 percent of games and won four national championships.

Drake earns its stripes on the defensive side of the ball, allowing opponents just 56.7 points per game, the third-least in the country. They also have the 24th-best scoring margin at 18.1 points per game.

The Bulldogs shoot 50.0 percent from the field as a team, with three players scoring 13.0+ points per game. Bennett Stirtz leads the squad averaging 18.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game. Mitch Mascari and Daniel Abreu are not far behind in the scoring column, averaging 13.5 and 13.4 points respectively.

LAST TIME OUT
The Green Bay men's basketball team's 13-point second-half lead was wiped out, as the Michigan Tech Huskies downed the Phoenix 72-70 at the Resch Center Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday's game was the annual Education Day, with 5,207 fans filling the stands in the Resch. Jeremiah Johnson led the Phoenix and secured a double-double with a career-high 21 points and 15 rebounds, while Marcus Hall added 17 points, and a season-best outing from Ryan Wade, who was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and tallied 11 points. Mac Wrecke chipped in with 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

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 11 games back in Division I, Roy has averaged 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. He also shoots 50.3 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent from three. Roy is sending waves throughout the country, he is second in points per game and first in three-pointers made per game with 4.4, as well as being second in three-point attempts per game at 10.1. Roy has scored 30+ points in five out of 11 games, and 20+ points in nine of his 11 starts this season. Roy is set to have the highest-scoring season in Phoenix history. Roy is currently out for an extended period with a lower-body injury.

ISAIAH'S ARRIVAL
Green Bay's tallest player in ten years saw his most action with the Phoenix last Wednesday (Dec. 11) and made his mark in 21 minutes on the floor. The 7-foot-1 Sophomore Isaiah Miranda set a new career collegiate high with his ten-point outing on 4-of-7 shooting against Milwaukee while securing two blocks, the second GB player to have multiple blocks in a game this season.

ON THE RISE
Freshman Jeremiah Johnson had a career day last time out, leading the Phoenix with 21 points and 15 rebounds, the most by any Phoenix in a game this season. Johnson is averaging 19.5 points and 12.0 rebounds in the last two GB games.

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 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game while shooting 43.1 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from three-point range.

LET IT FLY
The Phoenix offense is predicated in large part on the three-ball. Green Bay is 49th in the country in three-point attempts with 27.8, and 74th in the country in three-point makes per game with 9.2.

FREE POINTS
Green Bay had made their chances at the free throw line count. GB is knocking down 80.4 percent from the line, which ranks 11th best in the NCAA.

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 Cissé 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 Cissé.

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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Players Mentioned

#13 Marcus Hall: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

#2 Preston Ruedinger: G; 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior

#0 Foster Wonders: G; 6' 5"; Redshirt Junior

#4 Mac Wrecke: G; 6' 5"; Redshirt Freshman

#8 Bennett Basich: G; 6' 4"; Freshman

#7 Donovan Santoro: F; 6' 8"; Sophomore

#10 C.J. O'Hara: G; 6' 4"; Freshman

#31 Roee Oselka: F/C; 6' 10"; Freshman

#15 Ryan Wade: G; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

#3 Jeremiah Johnson: G; 6' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#13 Marcus Hall
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#2 Preston Ruedinger
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior
: G

#0 Foster Wonders
: 6' 5"; Redshirt Junior
: G

#4 Mac Wrecke
: 6' 5"; Redshirt Freshman
: G

#8 Bennett Basich
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: G

#7 Donovan Santoro
: 6' 8"; Sophomore
: F

#10 C.J. O'Hara
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: G

#31 Roee Oselka
: 6' 10"; Freshman
: F/C

#15 Ryan Wade
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: G

#3 Jeremiah Johnson
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: G