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Green Bay Takes Down Wright State, 62-55

Green Bay has the best offense in the Horizon League. Wright State has the best defense in the conference. The Phoenix like to get up and down the floor but the Raiders do not. Something had to give in this clash of conflicting styles.

Green Bay's Keifer Sykes.
Green Bay's Keifer Sykes.
Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports



Green Bay was coming off its first Horizon League loss of the season. Another loss tonight would blow the league race wide open. A win would keep them two games up on Cleveland State and Valparaiso.

This was a very boring game in the early going. Wright State's bad offense and good defense kept the scoring low. The Raiders needed nearly four minutes to score, over that span the Phoenix totaled just five points.

The scoring didn't really pick up pace after that.

A series of bad possessions by Green Bay midway through the half stalled the Phoenix at ten points for over three minutes. During that time a Tavares Sledge lay-up tied the game, 10-10, at 10:35. The Raiders went on a 12-2 run to take a four point lead.

After that, the Phoenix began to click. They reclaimed the lead and held it for the remainder of the half.

In the final seconds, JT Yoho hit a three to pull Wright State within two, 27-29.

The Raiders came out of halftime with back-to-back buckets. Kendall Griffin had a lay-up five seconds in. On the ensuing Green Bay possession, Matt Vest stole the ball from Jordan Fouse. Vest took the ball down the court for a lay-up that gave the Raiders a 31-29 lead.

Brian Wardle didn't like the first thirty seconds and called a time out.

Whatever he said in the timeout worked and the Phoenix came alive. They held the Raiders at 34 points for over five minutes, from 18:57 to 13:50.

Greg Mays hit a three to break the deadlock. On the next possession, Mays stole the ball from JT Yoho, passed it off for a fast break but got it back for a monster slam right at the ten minute mark of the half. Green Bay had moved from 39 all to a 44-39 lead in two possessions.

The Phoenix offense stayed hot, running out to a quick 11-0 run over less than three minutes. They were finally able to break through the Raiders' defense and play at their preferred pace. That run ended when a wide open JT Yoho hit an NBA range three pointer.

That run basically ended the game. Wright State moved into a box-and-one defense to slow Green Bay, but it didn't stop them from scoring. The Raiders' offense wasn't able to outscore the Phoenix. Occasionally they would cut the lead to five, but could get no closer.

Greg Mays' first miss came with just 3:55 left to play. His perfect game ended with an airball.

Mays and Keifer Sykes kept Green Bay in control during the second half. They were the game's high scorers with 20 points each.

Alec Brown, who missed Green Bay's previous game with a shoulder injury, wasn't fully recovered in this one. He finished with just six points on two of ten shooting.