DES MOINES, Iowa – The Green Bay men's basketball team was within striking distance on the road in the second half at undefeated Drake on Saturday but eventually fell to the Bulldogs 72-62. At one point, the Phoenix cut the lead to three with 14:20 to go after a Preston Ruedinger paint jumper, but that was as close as the game got as Drake closed out the Phoenix down the stretch.
Mac Wrecke had a career night at the Knapp Center, finishing with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 2-of-3 shooting from three. Preston Ruedinger and Marcus Hall also finished in double figures for the Phoenix. Ruedinger tallied a season-high 14 points while Hall had 10.
Drake on the other hand was led by a 21-point performance from Isaiah Jackson, who hit nine of his 12 attempts from the floor. Tavion Banks also had 19 points in 24 minutes off the bench.
Neither team shot the ball well from three, but the Bulldogs dominated in the paint scoring 48 points and finishing with a 50.0 percent field goal percentage.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Drake slightly outpaced Green Bay to start, with Ruedinger cutting the Drake lead to two after a layup with 8:39 at 21-19. Following, the hosts went on a 15-2 run to take a 36-21 lead with 3:22 in the first half. It looked like Drake would enter the half with that sizable lead until Wrecke scored nine points in two and a half minutes cutting the lead to 40-32 heading into the break.
The Phoenix used that momentum at the start of the second, and as mentioned before, brought the game to a one-point possession with 14:20 to go. After trading baskets for the next 10 minutes, Drake began to separate late, pushing the lead to fourteen before cruising to the 72-62 win.
GAME NOTES
» Green Bay shot 48.8 percent from the floor and 30.8 percent from three.
» The two teams combined for just seven made threes on the night.
» Green Bay got a team-high five rebounds from RoeeOselka.
» Drake outscored Green Bay 48-26 in the paint and held a 29-25 rebounding advantage.
ON THE HORIZON
Green Bay is returning to Horizon League play for good after Christmas when they host Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 4 p.m. Following, the Phoenix will hit the road to take on Wright State on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 6 p.m.
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