GREEN BAY, Wis. – The first February edition of Phoenix Weekly, presented by Capital Credit Union is here! The Green Bay softball team starts its 2024 season this week in Youngsville, La. The lone home events this week are two women's basketball games on Thursday and Saturday at the Kress Events Center.

WEEK IN REVIEW
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Green Bay men's basketball maintained its pace for first place in the Horizon League, defeating IUPUI 79-56 to improve to 15-9 overall and 10-3 in the Horizon League. Over 3,500 Green Bay area elementary students were in attendance for Education Day. The official attendance at the game was 5,490, the largest since 6,019 people came to watch the Phoenix take on Oakland on February 28, 2015.
 

This crew brought its own juice ??

Thank you to the numerous GB area schools that came out for Education Day! Today's official attendance was ??,?????? ??#RiseWithUs | #BYOJ pic.twitter.com/UghgmGB51P

— Green Bay Basketball (@gbphoenixmbb) February 2, 2024

The Phoenix had a slow start as IUPUI led 34-30 with 2:21 left in the first half. Foster Wonders and Noah Reynolds hit threes in the final minutes of the half to give Green Bay a 36-34 halftime lead. The Phoenix outscored IUPUI 22-6 in the first ten minutes of the second half to stretch their lead to 18. Green Bay kept its large lead the rest of the way, sealing up a 23-point victory over the Jaguars. David Douglas Jr. posted 20 points, including 17 in the second half. Noah Reynolds was right behind Douglas with 19 points and four assists. Rich Byhre added 13 points. (RECAP)

Douglas was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week for the second straight week and fourth time this season for his performance against IUPUI. (RELEASE)

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The Phoenix women's basketball team dropped a road game to Cleveland State 86-63, falling to second place in the Horizon League Standings at 10-2 in the league. Green Bay maintained a seven-point deficit after each of the first three quarters, however, Cleveland State outscored the Phoenix 14-4 in the first four minutes in the fourth quarter. The deficit was too large to come back from as the Phoenix dropped its second HL game this season. Natalie McNeal scored a career-high 30 points to go with nine rebounds. Cleveland State's Mickayla Perdue knocked down seven of the team's 15 threes and also finished with 30 points. (RECAP)

A LOOK AHEAD
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Green Bay men's basketball will be on the road for two Horizon League matchups against Robert Morris on Thursday at 6 p.m. and Youngstown State on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Robert Morris is currently ninth in the Horizon League standings with a record of 5-7 and 9-14 overall. Markeese Hastings leads Robert Morris in points averaging 15.1 per game which is 11^th in the HL. Hastings is also second in the Horizon League averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. Josh Corbin is ninth in the Horizon League averaging 3.1 assists per game. Youngstown State is a game back of Green Bay with a record of 9-4 in the Horizon League and 17-7 overall. Ziggy Reid is the Penguins' leading scorer averaging 14.1 points per game. DJ Burns leads all of the HL averaging 9.8 rebounds per game. Brett Thompson is fifth in the Horizon League averaging 4.0 assists per game.

Noah Reynolds is averaging 19.3 points per game good for third in the Horizon League. Reynolds is the Horizon League leader in assists per game at 4.6 per game. Elijah Jones is ninth in the HL averaging 6.2 rebounds per game.

NORDIC SKI
The Phoenix Nordic Ski team competes in the CCSA Conference Championship in Duluth, Minn on Saturday and Sunday.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Green Bay women's basketball is back home at the Kress Events Center when the Phoenix take on Northern Kentucky and IUPUI on Thursday and Saturday. Northern Kentucky is ninth in the Horizon League with a 4-8 record and is 6-15 overall. Carter McCray is sixth in the Horizon League averaging 14.4 points per game. McCray is also first in rebounds per game at 10.8 per game. Khamari Mitchell-Steen is right behind in seventh averaging 13.5 per game. IUPUI is tenth in the Horizon League standings with a record of 3-9 and is 5-16 overall. Katie Davidson is the Jaguars' leading scorer averaging 18.1 points per game good for second in the HL. IUPUI's leading rebounder is Abby Wolterman averaging 5.4 per game.

Natalie McNeal is eighth in the Horizon League 13.3 points per game. McNeal is also Green Bay's leading rebounder averaging 6.0 per game. Bailey Butler is second in the HL averaging 5.0 assists per game.

SOFTBALL
The Phoenix softball team starts its 2024 season with five games at Southeastern Louisiana in the Mardi Gras Mambo. On Friday, Green Bay plays a doubleheader vs Nicholls and Eastern Illinois. On Saturday, the Phoenix have another doubleheader vs Southern and UL-Monroe. Green Bay faces Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday in its weekend finale. (SEASON PREVIEW)

OTHER HAPPENINGS
Green Bay student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom, continuing a long-standing streak of semesters with a 3.0 or better GPA dating back to 2000. Under the watch of Assistant AD for Academic Services Mike Kline, GB student-athletes have extended the streak to 48 consecutive semesters after the Fall of 2023. Phoenix student-athletes have also had a 3.3 GPA in 18 straight semesters. As a whole, Phoenix student-athletes attained a semester GPA of 3.54, with eight of GB's 14 varsity programs boasting a 3.65 or higher GPA. All 14 programs achieved at least a 3.25 GPA. The 3.54 GPA is the second-highest mark for the entire department since the streak began in the Spring of 2000. Over 86.5 percent of Green Bay student-athletes recorded at least a 3.0 GPA, while 24.5 percent tallied a 4.0 GPA. Men's golf led the way with an impressive 3.74 GPA.

Hey, Phoenix youth! Students in kindergarten through 8th grade are encouraged to sign up for Phlash's Phriends, the Official Kid's Club of the Green Bay Phoenix. At just $25 per child, each member receives numerous benefits, including a free ticket to all home volleyball and basketball games, postgame court access, Phoenix apparel, and personalized Kid's Club Day activities.

Fly With the Phoenix was named the official NIL collective of the Green Bay Phoenix last week Tuesday. Started in 2022, 'Fly with the Phoenix' was established by dedicated former student-athletes, alumni, and local business professionals to provide Green Bay student-athletes with name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities. This partnership will bring a collaboration between the Green Bay Athletic Department and 'Fly with the Phoenix'. Fans attending home athletic events will notice additional marketing efforts to help promote the relationship and how fans can get involved. View the different tiers of membership opportunities here and learn more about the Fly with the Phoenix collective here.

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---GreenBayPhoenix.com--