UW-Green Bay advances to semifinals of Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship
Box Score
Game Two Highlights
March 2, 2007
Ryan Tillema scored a season-high 22 points and Ryan Evanochko had 17 points and eight assists as fourth-seed UW-Green Bay downed fifth-seed Youngstown State 72-55 Friday in the second round of the 2007 Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship at the Ervin J. Nutter Center.
The Phoenix (18-14) reached the tournament semifinals for the third straight season with a stifling defensive effort, holding Youngstown State to 33 percent shooting, including 1-of-17 from three-point range.
UW-Green Bay led 33-24 at the half and led by at least nine the final 12 ½ minutes of the game.
In the first half, the Penguins (14-17) trailed by only three with 3 ½ minutes left, but Green Bay scored seven straight go up 33-23. Tillema capped the run with a three-pointer and finished the game 8-of-11 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Keston Roberts led Youngstown State with 18 points, while Quin Humphrey had 12 and John Barber ten. Terry Evans had nine points and ten rebounds off the bench for UW-Green Bay.
UW-Green Bay advances to play top-seed and host Wright State Saturday in the semifinals at 7 p.m. ET in a game that will be televised live on ESPNU.
Youngstown State finished the season with its most wins and highest tournament seeding since joining the Horizon League in 2001.
Notes and Quotes
No. 4 Wisconsin Green Bay 72, No. 5 Youngstown State 55
UWGB Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk
On the game:
"First of all, I want to how much respect for the talent of YSU. We did a good job of keying on the two players unbelievable players in Quin Humphry and Keston Roberts. The defensive effort of Ryan Evanochko and Ryan Tillema that won us the game."
On the defense:
It's the fundamentals of our defense and the team effort. Ryan Evanochko used to be our defensive stopper his first two years and still is a very good defensive player. When you hold those two guys (Humphry and Roberts) to those shooting percentages, you have an opportunity to win the game."
On playing three times in a season:
"Sometimes you match up well against a team. That's why we had success against Cleveland State and Youngstown State."
Key to game:
"Making (Humphry and Roberts) work for everything they got. And I think we did that."
UWGB player Ryan Evanochko
Are you fresh?< BR>"I feel fresh. This is my last go-around; I'm running on adrenalin. I'm not worried about being fatigued. I have to suck it up as a senior and be a leader. Wright State has an advantage because they have been off, but then they have not played a game, so it works both ways."
UWGB player Ryan Tillema
On Troy Cotton and the game:
"Troy (Cotton) has had few good games for us. We've been playing well here lately and we are coming in here confident. It's a lot easier when the first few shots go in. I was trying not to force shots."
Youngstown State Head Coach Jerry Slocum
On playing three games vs. UWGB:< BR>"I think they do a good job defensively and we do a poor job offensively. I think it's a mixture of both. We missed six lay-ups at the half and you are not going to beat a team of that caliber when you miss easy jump shots."
On the season:
"We have done some things we are proud of. We're not satisfied with where we are. After a game like that, it's hard to reflect on the positives. They worked hard this year and we did some things that we wanted to accomplish."
Youngstown State player John Barber
On what to improve on for next season:
"We need to be patient on offense and let the game come to us. We can't force shots and have to be patient on offense."
Youngstown State player Keston Roberts
On Ryan Tillema:< BR>"He ended up getting hot and making shots with a hand in his face."
On where the program has gone in two years:
"There has been a huge improvement. Coach said we'd turn things around. We won seven last year and double-digit wins this year."
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