GREEN BAY, Wis. – A furious second-half comeback came up just short for the Green Bay men's basketball team in its opening exhibition game against Bradley, as the Braves grabbed the 83-78 win. Green Bay trailed by 16 at the half and outscored Bradley 47-36 in the second.

The Phoenix had four players score in double figures, led by Marcus Hall, who had 15 points and six assists. Rob Stroud tacked on 14 points off the bench, and C.J. O'Hara helped out with 12 points and six rebounds. LeBron Thomas was the fourth Phoenix in double figures, finishing with 11.

Bradley also had four players finish in double figures, led by Montana Wheeler, who poured in 12 points off the bench. Corey Thomas finished with 11, while Alex Huibregtse and Timoty van der Knaap each had 10.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The two teams traded baskets early, with the Phoenix grabbing a 14-13 lead with 13:22 in the first half after a pair of free throws from Stroud. However, Bradley then rattled off a 17-2 run over six minutes that gave them a 30-16 lead with 7:37 to go. That lead would hold the remainder of the half, with the visitors taking a 47-31 lead into the break.

Bradley kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing a 52-35 advantage before Green Bay responded with a 9-0 run, finished off by Ruedinger's three, to shrink the deficit to 52-44 with 14:55 to go in the contest. The Phoenix kept its comeback going, eventually cutting the Bradley deficit to just one, before the Braves re-established control and grinded out the 83-78 win.

GAME NOTES
» The Phoenix shared the ball well, recording an assist on 79-percent of its field goals.
» Both benches played well, with Bradley's outscoring GB's 45-33.
» Bradley had 36 points in the paint to Green Bay's 34.
» The two teams shot similarly from the field, with BU converting on 45.6-percent of their shots and the Phoenix converting on 45.3-percent.
» Green Bay shot 24-for-26 (92.3-percent) from the free throw line.

NEXT UP
Green Bay will have a couple of weeks off before its final exhibition game. The Phoenix will host St. Norbert on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m. at the Kress Center.

###

For the latest and most up-to-date information on Green Bay Athletics and Green Bay Men's Basketball, please visit GreenBayPhoenix.com.

Follow us on Twitter: @GBPhoenix and @GBPhoenixMBB.

Follow us on Instagram: @gbphoenix and @gbphoenixmbb.

Like Green Bay Phoenix Athletics and Green Bay Phoenix Men's Basketball on Facebook.

If you'd like to receive Green Bay Men's Basketball news via email, please fill out this form.

---GreenBayPhoenix.com---