Green Bay, Wright State Upset Top Seeds to Reach Championship

Motor City Madness Semifinal Results (Monday, March 7)
No. 4 Green Bay 99, No. 1 Valparaiso 92 (OT) - Box Score
No. 3 Wright State 59, No. 2 Oakland 55 - Box Score

No. 4 Green Bay 99, No. 1 Valparaiso 92 (OT)

Senior guard Jordan Fouse tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 4 Green Bay upset No. 1 Valparaiso, 99-92, in overtime in the first game of the semifinals of the 2016 Little Caesars Horizon League Men’s Basketball Championship on Monday at Joe Louis Arena.

Valparaiso junior forward Alec Peters led the Crusaders with 32 points and recorded a layup as time expired in regulation to force overtime after Valparaiso trailed by six points with less than two minutes remaining. However, the Phoenix jumped out to an early lead in overtime, thanks to a 7-2 run, and were able to hold on down the stretch to advance to the Championship Game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena against the winner of No. 2 Oakland and No. 3 Wright State.

Valparaiso attacked the rim early in the game, scoring 12 of their first 14 points in the paint to take a 14-11 lead eight minutes into the action. Green Bay kept it close, but was unable to take the lead until Fouse cashed in three of his team-leading 15 first half points to give the Phoenix a 32-30 lead.

Green Bay led 35-32 going into the break after holding the regular season champions to 38% (12-for-32) from the field.

Valparaiso opened the half on a 7-2 run, but Green Bay answered with a 10-0 run of their own to take an eight point lead, going 5-for-6 behind the arc to start the second half.

Peters was instrumental in the comeback for the Crusaders, cashing in 21 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 39 remaining and the layup at the buzzer to force overtime.

No. 3 Wright State 59, No. 2 Oakland 55
No. 3 Wright State held No. 2 Oakland to a season-low 55 points as the Raiders upset the Golden Grizzlies, 59-55, in the second semifinal of the 2016 Little Caesars Horizon League Men’s Basketball Championship on Monday at Joe Louis Arena.

Oakland took an early lead, but surrendered a 12-3 run for the Raiders down the stretch of the first half led by sophomore guard Mark Alstork, who had 12 points and three rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. Wright State held Oakland’s high-tempo offense to 35% (7-for-20) from the field in the first half en route to the Raiders posting a 33-25 lead at the break.

Horizon League Player of the Year Kay Felder tallied 13 points in the first eight minutes of the second half to make it a two-point game. Martez Walker gave Oakland the lead on a 3-point play after a dunk and ensuing free-throw with eight minutes left in the game.

The game continued as a back-and-forth affair down the stretch, as there were eight lead changes in the final five minutes of the game before JT Yoho made a jump shot with 24 seconds remaining to give Wright State the lead for good and advance the Raiders to the Championship Game against No. 4 Green Bay on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena.