Using its impressive size and length, No. 3 seed Texas A&M imposed its will on the No. 14 seed Green Bay men’s basketball team on Friday night in the NCAA Tournament First Round at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Phoenix fell 92-65, finishing its season with an impressive 23-13 record and the 2016 Horizon League Championship, two feats that many had not forecasted before the season started.
Green Bay was challenged with facing the SEC regular season champions in its first tournament game in 20 years, which featured one of the nation’s top recruiting classes and several pro prospects. The Aggies (27-8) used a dominating 46-20 advantage in points in the paint and saw five players finish in double figures.
Finding itself ahead by eight points with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game, the Phoenix had forced the Aggies into turnovers and was making them play from behind. Texas A&M would then go on a 27-11 run to close the half and take a 41-33 advantage into halftime, putting Green Bay in foul trouble and forcing them to take tough shots.
The Aggies would go on to score 51 points in the second half en route to the 27-point victory. Green Bay did have luck forcing Texas A&M into 20 turnovers, recording 14 steals off those turnovers. Seniors Carrington Love and Jordan Fouse finished with five and four steals respectively, continuing to add to their impressive career totals.
“I thought the first ten or 12 minutes before we got into foul trouble, I thought we caused them some problems. I thought we got them to turn the ball over. I think we turned them over 10 or 11 times in the first eight or nine minutes of the game. I thought when we got in foul trouble and we couldn't keep pressing them because we had to play rotations that we hadn't played much this year, I thought they made a run,” head coach Linc Darner said.
Love and Fouse will go down as two of the greatest players in program history, with their names littered throughout the record books. Both players, despite only combining for 12 points in the defeat, carry the credentials for a Hall of Fame induction.
“I give these guys a lot of credit. Our two seniors, what an unbelievable job they did for us this year getting Green Bay back to the NCAA Tournament. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be sitting up here. I'm just glad I had an opportunity to coach them for a year. I wish I had them for a couple more,” Darner said.
The Phoenix was led by Khalil Small offensively, who scored a game-high 22 points on 5-for-6 shooting from three-point range. Jamar Hurdle added 11 points off the bench as the only other player to finish in double figures for Green Bay.
Texas A&M dominated the rebounding, tallying a 45-25 advantage in that category.
Green Bay says goodbye to a pair of outstanding players in Jordan Fouse and Carrington Love, both of whom were instrumental to the team’s success over the past four years. Fouse was named Horizon League Tournament MVP and Love landed on the All-Tournament Team and First Team All-League, among the many other individual accomplishments and accolades they’ve received.
There is a bright and talented roster returning for head coach Linc Darner next season, as he will welcome back starters Khalil Small, Charles Cooper and Kenneth Lowe. Also returning will be key reserves from this season: Turner Botz, Jamar Hurdle, Tevin Findlay and Kerem Kanter.
The Phoenix will also enjoy the additions of Warren Jones and David Jesperson, who both sat out this season due to NCAA Division I transfer rules. The incoming recruiting class is highlighted by Trevor Anderson and Kam Hankerson, two prospects that the Phoenix coaching staff is very high on.
“It's going to hurt for a little while, you know, realizing that we're done with our collegiate career. But I love what this team has done for the program and the excitement it's brought back to Green Bay basketball,” Love said.
“Like Coach said, we haven't been to the NCAA Tournament in 20 years, and RP40 will be on the map for years to come.”
(Release courtesy of Joey Daniels, Green Bay Athletics)
