CATCH THE ACTION: Saturday, Feb. 4 - 12 noon CT // RESCH CENTER

Matchup: Green Bay Phoenix (14-9, 8-3 HL) vs Valparaiso Crusaders (19-4, 9-1 HL)

Tickets: Order Here

Where to Watch: Online - ESPN3

Where to Follow: Live Stats - www.phoenixstats.com

Where to Listen: WNFL - 101.9 FM / 1440 AM

Game Notes: Green Bay  |  Valparaiso

Game Program Cover: Trevor Anderson, Fr., Stevens Point, Wis.

For Live in-game updates, follow: @gbphoenixmbb

Series History

Green Bay leads the all-time series 29-25 and is 18-6 at home against the Crusaders. Valpo won 80-56 in the earlier meeting this season in Indiana.

NOTABLES

• Green Bay (8-3) will face first-place Valparaiso (9-1) in a battle of the top two teams in the league
• The Phoenix leads the Horizon League in scoring, offensive rebounds, steals and blocks.
• Warren Jones has reached double-figures in seven of his last eight games and leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage (56.4). He recorded a career-high seven assists against UIC on Friday night.
• Kenneth Lowe scored a season-high 16 points against UIC and grabbed five rebounds. 
• Green Bay is 8-2 when Charles Cooper comes off the bench
• The Phoenix will hit the road straight for its final four road games of the season following the home game against Valpo.
• Tevin Findlay made his fourth career start in the absence of Trevor Anderson, who has now missed three games due to injury.

LAST TIME OUT
Green Bay made its final eight free throws to seal a win over UIC on Thursday night, 84-80. Warren Jones led the Phoenix attack with 18 points, knocking down four of his seven 3-point attempts. Jones also dished out a career-high seven assists and has now reached double figures in five-straight games. Kenneth Lowe scored 16 points and Tevin Findlay and Khalil Small each added 10 points of their own. The Phoenix used a 13-0 run to close out the half, thanks a Jones 3 at the buzzer. UIC led by 10 with just under 10 minutes left in the game, but Green Bay went on a 16-2 run and never trailed the rest of the game.

VALPO VENGEANCE
The Crusaders have served as Green Bay's arch nemesis in recent years, both on the court and in the league standings. Green Bay upset Valpo (99-92, OT) in last year's semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament, eight days after losing at the buzzer in the regular season finale at the Resch Center. Valpo left no doubt in the first meeting of this year, leading from start to finish in a convincing 80-56 win. The Phoenix has not won in Valpo since Jan. 23, 2011, having now lost eight in a row since then at The ARC. Green Bay is 4-2 against Valpo at home in the last six meetings, while the last two games alone have been decided by a combined three points. Saturday's meeting will also be a meeting between the top two teams in the Horizon League standings, with Green Bay desperately needing a win to keep pace with the league-favorites.

MONEY J0NE$
Senior Warren Jones has become the team's No. 2 scoring option in Horizon League play, averaging 11.2 PPG in those 11 games (ranks 25th in Horizon League) and reaching double-figures in seven of his last eight. Jones is leading the league in 3-point field goal percentage at 56.4 percent (12-for-39) and has made multiple 3s in seven league games this year. In his last five games alone, the guard is averaging 15.0 PPG and has seen his season average rise in each of those games as well, now sitting on 10.3 PPG. Jones also ranks 13th in Horizon League in field goal percentage (50.0 percent) and 10th in free throw percentage (79.4 percent).

LEAGUE LEADERS
With two games over the halfway point of the Horizon League season now complete, Green Bay leads the league in scoring with 80.7 PPG and is the only team in the top three in that category with a winning record. The Phoenix has scored 80 or more points in eight of its 11 league games this year. Green Bay also leads the HL in blocks (5.8 blocks per game), steals (8.8 steals per game) and offensive rebounds (12.3 per game). The team is currently in second place in the Horizon League with a 8-3 record, trailing Valparaiso's 9-1 record. Those two teams will meet on Saturday afternoon in a crucial league battle.

4 WITH 10 OR MORE
Green Bay has four players averaging 10.0 PPG or more this season, led by Charles Cooper's 13.2 PPG. Warren Jones has seen his average rise to 10.3 PPG, while Khalil Small (10.7 PPG) and Kerem Kanter have (10.2 PPG) been putting up big games as well. Four players reached double-figures in the Phoenix's 84-80 win over UIC on Friday night, Led by Warren Jones' 18 points. Green Bay also has nine players averaging 16 minutes per game or more.

BENCH BOOM
The Phoenix recorded 52 points off the bench, its highest total in any Horizon League game in its recent win against Cleveland State. The team has scored 44 points or more in bench scoring in four of its 11 league games and is averaging 37.2 bench points per game in Horizon League play. That total leads the Horizon League and gives the Phoenix and head coach Linc Darner the option to play multiple players.

SENIOR SIX
Green Bay has six seniors on the roster for 2016-17, the most in over 10 years. The six seniors, led by Charles Cooper's 13.2 PPG, are combining to score 62 percent of the team's points. Warren Jones (10.3 PPG), Jamar Hurdle (8.6 PPG), Turner Botz (7.0 PPG), Kenneth Lowe (6.4 PPG) and Tevin Findlay (4.4 PPG) are all in their last year of eligibility in Green Bay, giving the Phoenix the most seniors on roster in the entire Horizon League. All six are averaging 16 MPG or more.

LOWE KEY ON D
Kenneth Lowe is making case for a spot on the Horizon League's All-Defensive Team. The senior is third in the league in steals (1.6 SPG) and fourth in the league in blocks with 1.5 BPG. Lowe leads the Phoenix in both of those categories and has recorded multiple steals or blocks in seven league games this season. He is also shooting a team-best 50.7 percent from the field in Horizon League play.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE
For the first time all season, two players on Green Bay recorded a double-double in the same game. Kerem Kanter and Kenneth Lowe registered huge nights in the paint, combining for 28 points and 25 rebounds on Friday night at Oakland. It marked the fourth double-double of the season for Kanter, while Lowe recorded the first such performance in his career. The Phoenix is now 4-0 when Kanter notches a double-double. Charles Cooper is the only other player to tally a double-double this season, with the team now having six on the season. Kanter's four lead the way, with Lowe and Cooper each with one.

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