Horizon League Women's Basketball Scoreboard (Jan. 8)
Green Bay 62, Detroit 31
In a matchup of the two teams voted 1-2 in the Horizon League preseason poll, and a rematch of last season's tournament championship, host Green Bay proved the League title once again runs through Green Bay as the Phoenix beat Detroit 62-31 in both team's conference opener on Tuesday night.
The Phoenix (11-2, 1-0) controlled the game in every aspect in the win. One of the stingiest defenses in the country coming into the game (allowing 48.5 points per game; 5th in the most recent NCAA DI rankings), Green Bay clamped down on the Titans early in the game and never let up, limiting UDM to season lows in points (31) and field goal percentage (26.8%).
Detroit (7-6, 0-1) was within three points, 17-14, with 6:15 remaining in the first half, but with the nation's second-highest scorer Shareta Brown (26.0 ppg.) sitting on the bench with two fouls, UDM was held scoreless over the final 6:15 as GB ended the first half on an 11-0 run to take a 28-14 lead into the break. Brown was limited to just two made free throws in the first half as Green Bay's defense held the sophomore without a field goal attempt in the opening 20 minutes.Green Bay outscored the Titans 11-4 in the opening five minutes of the second half to extinguish any hope of a second half UDM comeback.Adrian Ritchie, a Preseason First-Team All-Horizon League member, led GB with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting and also had a career-high seven steals. She was one of four Phoenix players in double figures as Lydia Bauer (11), Megan Lukan (11) and Sarah Eichler (10) were the top GB scorers.Brown led the Titans with eight points, 18 below her season average, and five rebounds.Green Bay outrebounded Detroit 33-24 in the game, becoming the first team this season to outrebound the Titans. Detroit entered the game leading the HL with a +9.3 rebounding margin over its opponents. The Phoenix also outscored Detroit in the paint, 34-14. In the first 12 games of the season, Detroit had outscored its opponents in the paint, 418-228.
Green Bay is back in action on Saturday when it hosts Wright State. Detroit will attempt to bounce back at Cleveland State on Saturday.
Tags: Detroit Mercy - Women's Basketball · Green Bay - Women's Basketball
