By Stretch Jenkinson
1 18 2024
GAME NOTES
https://greenbayphoenix.com/documents/2024/1/17/GBMBB_Notes_1.18-20.24.pdf
HORIZON LEAGUE STANDINGS
https://horizonleague.org/standings.aspx?path=mbball
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay men’s basketball team is embarking on perhaps one of the most challenging Horizon League road trips this weekend, as they travel to Wright State and Northern Kentucky. The Phoenix will square off with the Raiders on Thursday before taking on the Norse Saturday night.
Thursday, Jan. 18 – Dayton, Ohio – Nutter Center
Green Bay (11-8, 6-2 HL) at Wright State (9-9, 4-3 HL)
6:00 PM CT
Follow the action: Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (WDUZ The Fan) | Live Stats | History
Saturday, Jan. 20 – HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Truist Arena
Green Bay (11-8, 6-2 HL) at Northern Kentucky (9-9, 4-3 HL)
5:30 PM CT
Follow the action: Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (WDUZ The Fan) | Live Stats | History
ABOUT THE RAIDERS
Wright State continues to bolster one of the best offenses in Division I basketball. The Raiders lead the Horizon League (14th in the nation), scoring 84.9 points per game and lead the nation with a 53.3 percent field goal percentage. The Raiders started the Horizon League season with a 1-2 record, but have won three of their last four.
Wright State is led by two of the top five scorers in the Horizon League. Point guard Trey Calvin leads the league scoring 19.3 points per game, while Tanner Holden is fifth with 17.4 points per game. Both Calvin and Holden are elite shooters, both hitting over 43.0 percent of their threes. Another name to watch for Wright State is big man Brandon Noel, who averages 13.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
ABOUT THE NORSE
Picked to win the Horizon League in the league’s preseason poll, Northern Kentucky has started the year 9-9 overall and 4-3 in league play. The Norse have weathered the storm well after losing standout guard Sam Vinson to injury earlier this season. NKU will match up with Milwaukee on Thursday before hosting the Phoenix on Saturday.
The Norse are led by Horizon League First Teamer Marques Warrick, who averages 18.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Northern Kentucky ranks in the top half of the league in numerous statistical categories, but excel in the turnover battle. They force opponents to turn the ball over nine times a game on average, which is the second-highest mark in the HL.
HISTORY VS WRIGHT STATE
Wright State leads the all-time series with a 39-34 record over the Phoenix. Green Bay won the first matchup of the season on Dec. 29, 88-77. Noah Reynolds scored a career-high 39 points to with six assists in GB’s win. Prior to that win, the Raiders had won seven-straight against GB. The Phoenix is 9-28 on the road at Wright State.
HISTORY VS NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Green Bay is 5-12 all-time against Northern Kentucky, and the Norse have won the last five in the series. The two teams have not matched up yet this year. GB is 2-5 at NKU.
LAST TIME OUT
Noah Reynolds dropped his third 30+ point performance of the season to lead the Green Bay men’s basketball team to a 79-71 win over Cleveland State on Sunday. The Phoenix used a 12-0 run down the stretch to move to 11-8 on the year. GB is tied at the top of the Horizon League standings with Oakland with a 6-2 conference record. There were some other big performers for Green Bay, including a career-high 15 points from Foster Wonders and a second-consecutive double-double from Elijah Jones. Jones finished the afternoon with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
A GREEN BAY SWEEP
Monday morning, the Horizon League announced the Under Armour #HLMBB weekly awards, and the Green Bay men’s basketball team won both awards. Noah Reynolds was named Player of the Week, and David Douglas Jr. was named the Freshman of the Week. It is the second time each player has won the respective award this season. The last time Green Bay swept the Player of the Week awards was Jan. 2, 2018, when Sandy Cohen III was named Horizon League Player of the Week and P.J. Pipes earned Freshman of the Week.
Noah Reynolds had another outstanding week, leading Green Bay to a 2-0 week and a share of first place in the Horizon League. Across wins over IUPUI and Cleveland State, Reynolds averaged 25.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 59.1 percent from the field, 54.5 percent from three, and 90.5 percent from the free throw line. The Peoria, Ill., native was especially strong against Cleveland State, scoring 32 points to go with five assists. Reynolds is the only Horizon League player to score 30+ points three times this season.
David Douglas Jr. scored a career-high 26 points in Green Bay’s 68-58 win over IUPUI. Douglas hit six threes in the contest, which was the second time the freshman has hit 5+ threes in a game this season. Douglas is the only freshman in the Horizon League to hit 5+ threes in a game this season. The Yorkville, Ill., native has also scored in double figures in six of his last nine games.
MOVING UP THE RANKS
After ending last season as #362 in the NCAA NET rankings, the Phoenix has just cracked the top 200. GB sits at 196 and is also receiving votes on the collegeinsider.com mid-major top 25 poll.
WINNING ON THE ROAD
Winning on the road in the Horizon League this season has been a challenge. Home teams in HL games this season have a 27-13 record. The top eight in the Horizon League hold a 24-3 record at home.
OFFENSIVE UPTICK
Green Bay has won six of its last seven in large part to an offensive uptick the team has seen. Over the last seven games, Green Bay is averaging 76.2 points per game while allowing opponents to score just 63.2 points per game. GB has shot over 50.0 percent in four of the seven games.
BALANCED ATTACK
In eight conference games this season, Green Bay has had six players averaging over 7.0 points per game. Noah Reynolds leads the way at 21.4 points per game, while Elijah Jones (9.8), Foster Wonders (8.5), David Douglas Jr. (8.0), Rich Byhre (7.0) and Preston Ruedinger (7.0) have also made an impact. GB is outscoring their opponents 74.9 to 66.9 in HL play.
GREEN BAY GRIT
The Phoenix has prided itself on the defensive side of the ball all year long. GB allows the fewest points per game at 66.0. GB is four points better than the second-place team, Youngstown State, who allows opponents to score 70.6 points per game. They also rank near the top of the HL in opponent FG% (2nd, 41.8%), opponent 3FG% (2nd, 30.7%), and combined opponent rebounds (1st, 31.4).
REYNOLDS SQUARED
Green Bay is one of two schools in the country that have a brother duo as a coach and a player. Assistant coach Nic Reynolds and Phoenix lead guard Noah Reynolds are brothers. UConn’s Mamadou Diarra (Director of Player Development) and Hassan Diarra (senior guard) are the other duo.
EFFICIENT ELIJAH
Another standout for Green Bay this season has been Elijah Jones, who is sixth in the HL in rebounding at 6.7 rebounds per game and second in scoring on GB’s roster at 9.2 points per game. Jones is one of the most efficient players on GB’s roster, shooting 63.6 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent from three. Jones is shooting 74.4 percent from the field in HL games. Jones has also recorded double-doubles in his last two games (13 pts, 10 rebs in each).
OFFSEASON RECAP
A lot happened during the 2023 offseason, let’s get you caught up:
March 14 – Sundance Wicks was named the ninth head coach in Green Bay men’s basketball history.
March 30 – The rest of the coaching staff is announced. Pat Monaghan, Zach Malvik, and Nic Reynolds are added as assistant coaches and Adam Owens is retained as the Director of Basketball Operations.
April 19 – Will Eames, David Douglas Jr., Preston Ruedinger, and Rich Byhre are added to the roster.
May 1 – Noah Reynolds, Elijah Jones, and Foster Wonders join Green Bay.
June 2 – Rahmon Fletcher joins the staff as the Director of Player Development.
IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN GB
Green Bay hired Sundance Wicks as the program’s next head coach on March 14, 2023. Wicks comes to the Phoenix after three seasons as an assistant coach at Wyoming. In his first season with the Cowboys, Wicks helped revamp an offense that led the Mountain West in scoring at 76.5 points per game. Prior to his time with the Cowboys, he spent two highly successful years as the head coach at NCAA DII Missouri Western State in St. Joseph, Missouri. The Gillette, Wyo., native led the Griffons to 18 wins in 2019-20, which was the most by the program in 10 years. In his first season at the helm of the program, his team doubled their win total from the year before. In his two seasons, Wicks mentored six All-MIAA players and an NABC All-District selection. Coach Wicks’ first win at Green Bay came on Thursday, Nov. 9 against St. Francis (Ill.).
NEW LOOK ROSTER
The Phoenix underwent a roster transformation this past offseason. Of GB’s 15 rostered players, three are returners, six are transfers, and six are incoming freshmen.
FAMILIAR FACES
Two of Green Bay’s six transfers have played for coach Wicks prior to his time in GB. Will Eames played under coach Wicks at Missouri Western State in 2019-20 when he was the MIAA Freshman of the Year and All-MIAA honorable mention. Another Phoenix that has played for coach Wicks is Wyoming transfer Noah Reynolds. Reynolds was the second leading scorer on Wyoming last year, averaging 14.5 points per game in 19 games played.
PRESEASON #HLMBB POLL
PL. Team (1st-place votes) – PTS.
1. Northern Kentucky (18) – 435
2. Milwaukee (10) – 397
3. Wright State (12) – 392
4. Cleveland State (1) – 362
5. Youngstown State (3) -342
6. Oakland – 280
7. Robert Morris- 186
8. Purdue Fort Wayne- 166
9. Detroit Mercy- 132
10. IUPUI – 116
11. Green Bay – 96
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