By: Jill Wunrow
GreenBayPhoenix.com

GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - As the No. 17/14 Green Bay (12-0, 2-0 HL) women's basketball team puts its impressive 34-1 record from the 2011 calendar year behind it, the Phoenix focuses on 2012 and its first opponent of the year, in-state Milwaukee (4-8, 0-2 HL). The Phoenix travels to the Klotsche Center Saturday, Jan. 7 to face the Panthers at 12:30 p.m.

Green Bay enters Saturday's contest having won its last 28 regular-season games against conference opponents and is currently on a 32-game regular season winning streak, its second longest streak in program history. Through games played Jan. 1, Green Bay is one of six undefeated teams in the country including Baylor, Colorado, Maryland, Ohio State and Texas Tech.

Meanwhile the Panthers are in search of their first Horizon League win of the season after falling 81-73 to Loyola in their conference opener before suffering a 67-41 defeat against UIC Dec. 31. Green Bay is the third nationally-ranked opponent Milwaukee faces this season after battling No. 1/1 Baylor and No. 24/23 Oklahoma in nonconference play.

ABOUT THE SERIES... Saturday will be the 71st meeting between the Panthers and the Phoenix with Green Bay owning an overall record of 53-17. Green Bay is 17-11 when battling Milwaukee on its home court. Under the leadership of fifth year head coach Matt Bollant, Green Bay has never lost to the Panthers (10-0).

LAST MEETING, Feb. 19, 2011... The last time Green Bay and Milwaukee met, the Phoenix won at least a share of its 13th consecutive regular season Horizon League championship with its 77-59 win. After scoring the first bucket of the contest Milwaukee came no closer than three to the Phoenix as it capitalized off Milwaukee turnovers, scoring 30 of its points off 23 Panthers' miscues. Current Green Bay starter Adrian Ritchie (De Pere, Wis.), who is averaging 11.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, missed the last meeting after spraining her ankle less than one minute into the contest.

LEADING THE WAY... Green Bay continues to be led by senior Julie Wojta (Francis Creek, Wis.) who is scoring an average of 19.7 points per game while grabbing an average of 10.2 boards per contest. In addition to Wojta, Lydia Bauer (Lake Zurich, Ill.) is always pouring in double figures with 12.5 points per game while Ritchie is averaging 11.6 points and Sarah Eichler (Grafton, Wis.) is chipping in 11.0 per contest.

Milwaukee is being led in scoring by sophomore Courtney Lindfors who is averaging 13.9 points per game while junior Sami Tucker is pouring in an average off 11.6 points and leading the way on the boards with 7.8 rebounds per game. Angela Rodriguez is also contributing 13.9 points per game for the Panthers.

HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL... The Phoenix was picked to finish first in this season's Horizon League Preseason Poll, receiving 29 of a possible 30 first-place votes while Milwaukee was picked to finish sixth.

SMALLEST GIANT IN WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL... ESPN.com writer Graham Hays recently published an article on Green Bay senior Julie Wojta, tabbing her as "the smallest giant in women's college basketball..." Hays spent four days following the Phoenix through its last week of nonconference play as it prepared for competition against Ball State and Wisconsin.

Following Wojta's career-high 29 points against the Badgers, Hays had the following observation about Wojta's presence on the court, "Julie Wojta remains a marvel and tormented new Wisconsin coach Bobbie Kelsey as much as she did old Wisconsin coach Lisa Stone, scoring 29 points in a 65-49 victory against the Badgers. And While this team isn't quite reliant on takeaways for defensive success as that other team that plays in Green Bay, the Phoenix remains among the best in the nation at making you give up the ball."

To read Hays' complete article on Wojta and Green Bay Phoenix women's basketball, click here.

THOUGHTS ON OPPONENT FROM COACH BOLLANT... To hear coach Bollant's thoughts on Saturday's opponent, Milwaukee, click here.

FOLLOW THE ACTION... Fans unable to make the trip to Milwaukee for Saturday's game can watch it live on Time Warner Cable Sports 32 with Bob Brainerd and Lindsay Laur with the call. Live stats can be tracked here.

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