By: Joey Daniels (@GBPhoenixWBB)
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GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Returning home for the first time in nearly three weeks, the Green Bay women's basketball team will host Oakland on Wednesday night at the Kress Center in an effort to wins ninth-straight game overall.
Green Bay (17-3, 7-0 HL) will play its first game in front of its home crowd since a Jan. 17 victory over Milwaukee. The Phoenix is fresh off a perfect 4-0 conference road trip that included three victories by 15 or more points, while standing alone atop the Horizon League with a perfect 7-0 record and boasting an eight-game winning streak.
Oakland (9-11, 3-4 HL) enters Wednesday in a tie for fifth place in the Horizon League with a 3-4 record but has dropped four out of its last five games overall. The Golden Grizzlies are scoring 74.3 PPG in conference play, which ranks second in the league, but is also allowing the exact same amount on defense, which ranks seventh.
GIVEAWAY: The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a FREE Magic Ball Game (handheld), courtesy of Country Inns and Suites.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
Green Bay is allowing a league-best and lowly 50.7 points per game during conference play, which happens to be 10 points better than the next best defense in the league (UIC allowing 60.7 PPG). The Phoenix has allowed fewer than 60 points in six of its seven league games this season, while holding three opponents to under the 50-point mark. Thanks to the dominating defense by Green Bay, it also owns the best scoring margin in the league at +16.1, having won five its seven league games by 15 or more points. Green Bay ranks first in conference play in points allowed and field goal percentage defense (33.4%), while sitting second in rebounding margin (+7.3) and turnover margin (+2.9).
DURING THE W8
During Green Bay's in progress eight-game winning streak, the team is outscoring by an average of 15.8 points per game, while having only player averaging in double figures (Mehryn Kraker, 11.1 PPG). It's been a balanced and team effort that has slingshot the Phoenix into a two-game lead atop the league standings, as five players are averaging 8.5 PPG or more. Kraker's 11.1 PPG leads the way, but Tesha Buck's 9.9 PG, Sam Terry's 9.6 PPG off the bench, Kaili Lukan's 8.5 PPG and senior leader Megan Lukan's 8.5 PPG have kept opposing defenses uneasy. During this stretch, GB is averaging 16.6 assists per game compared to its opponents' 9.1 per game. It's been a “pick your poison” approach by Green Bay's competition during the W8, and it's gone the Phoenix's way every time.
RPI UPDATE
In Monday's (Feb. 2) edition of the official NCAA rankings, Green Bay sat No. 18. GB is one of two mid-majors (Princeton, No. 16) to be ranked in the RPI Top 20. The Phoenix has won seven games against teams ranked inside the RPI Top 100 and all three of its defeats has come against teams ranked in the RPI Top 50. GB's best win to date? A six-point victory over Arizona State, who currently ranks No. 10 in the RPI and has lost only two games all season.
vs OAKLAND
The Phoenix has never lost to the Golden Grizzlies, owning a perfect 4-0 record all-time. The teams first met in 2005, with that meeting being the closest contest to date with GB winning by two at 74-72. Green Bay has won the other three games in the series by an average of 17.7 points per game.
HOME STRETCH
Green Bay can take peace knowing that six of its final nine games will be played at the Kress Center. The team has gone a perfect 7-0 at home this season and is beating its opposition by an average of 19.9 points per game. Allie LeClaire has enjoyed playing in her own backyard, as the freshman is tied for the team lead in PPG with Tesha Buck, both are averaging 10.3 PPG. GB is holding opponents to a miniscule 44.3 PPG at the Kress Center. With the Horizon League Tournament hosted by the regular season champion, GB could theoretically end the season with nine of its potential 12 games at home.
APPROACHING NO. 600
One of the most successful coaches in women's basketball history continues to climb up the win column. Head coach Kevin Borseth has now amassed 596 wins in his coaching career, after adding 17 this season. That leaves Borseth four wins away from 600 career victories, an accomplished milestone. Entering the season Borseth ranked 26th in winning percentage among active coaches and 18th in victories. He also began the season 32nd all-time in women's coaching victories.
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