GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay men's basketball team is set for a weekend road trip to the state of Michigan. The Phoenix will face off against Oakland at the O'Rena tomorrow followed by Detroit Mercy on Saturday.
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Green Bay (2-20, 0-11 HL) at Oakland (9-13, 6-5 HL)
Thursday, Jan. 30
6:00 PM CST | Game Notes
Follow the action: Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (Mixlr) | Live Stats
 
Green Bay at Detroit Mercy
Saturday, Feb. 1
Noon CST
Follow the action: Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (Mixlr) | Live Stats
 
ABOUT THE GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Oakland resides in the middle of the Horizon League in sixth place with a conference record of 6-5 and 9-13 overall. Head Coach Greg Kampe is in his 41^st season coaching at Oakland, the longest of any current coach in college basketball. The Golden Grizzlies team that defeated No. 3 3 seed Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament a year ago looks a little bit different this year. Tuburu Naivalurua leads the team in points and rebounds per game averaging 13.6 and 7.8 respectively. Allen Mukeba is right behind in both categories, averaging 13.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Oakland currently has the second-best scoring defense in the Horizon League allowing 69.5 points per game. However, they average the second-fewest points per game at 66.1.
 
ABOUT THE TITANS
Detroit Mercy comes into the weekend with an overall record of 6-16 and is 2-9 in the Horizon League, good for 10^th place in head coach Mark Montgomery's first season at the helm. In the Horizon League this season, Detroit Mercy averages the fewest points per game at 66.0 and allows the third most points per game at 74.8. Orlando Lovejoy leads the Titans averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Mak Manciel is a big contributor for UDM too, averaging 13.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Green Bay and Oakland have played 28 times in the two schools' histories. The Phoenix is 15-13 all-time against the Golden Grizzlies, including a 4-8 record on the road. Oakland has won four of the last five games against Green Bay, dating back to the 2021-22 season.
 
Green Bay and Detroit Mercy have met 68 times in the two schools' histories. The Phoenix is 37-31 all-time against the Titans, including 14-18 on the road. Green Bay swept Detroit Mercy last season and won by a combined 32 points in the two games.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Green Bay men's basketball looked like they might have a chance to knock the Cleveland State Vikings off their 11-game win streak late in the second half on Saturday, but a late CSU run helped them secure an 81-66 win. The Phoenix was down two with just over five minutes left in the contest.

GB had four players score in double figures, led by Yonatan Levy, who poured in a career-high 19 points to go with nine rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Ben Tweedy added a career-high 12 points off the bench while Foster Wonders and Preston Ruedinger finished with 10 apiece.

Cleveland State also spread the ball around, finishing the day with five in double figures led by 17 points from Chase Robinson. Tevin Smith finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

MIDSEASON REINFORCEMENTS
Before this Thursday's game against Wright State, the Green Bay men's basketball team added Yonatan Levy, a 6'9" freshman forward from Hamerkaz, Israel, to the 2024-25 active roster. Levy played for Hapoel Eilat of the Israeli Basketball Premier League in 2023-24 and received final eligibility certification from the NCAA in December. In five games played, Yonatan is averaging 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. He had a career day against Cleveland State last Sunday, finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds.
 
JEREMIAH JOHNSON
Jeremiah Johnson has made big strides in the last month. Since Dec. 14, the freshman has scored double figures in six of his nine games. Across those nine games, Johnson is averaging 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.

MAC ATTACK
Redshirt freshman Mac Wrecke had a career day on Dec. 21 against Drake, scoring 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting in 30 minutes. Wrecke has started the last 13 games, scoring in double figures in five of them.
 
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 12.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 33.8 minutes per game shooting 44.7 percent from the floor and 37.3 percent from three-point range.
 
FREE POINTS
Green Bay had made their chances at the free throw line count. GB is knocking down 79.5 percent from the line, which ranks seventh best in the NCAA.
 
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.
 
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 and Yonatan Levy are 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, three are transfers, and nine 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, 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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