The Green Bay Phoenix women’s basketball team is moving onto Indianapolis for the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament, after cruising past the Youngstown State Penguins 94 to 57.
Green Bay came out of the gate angry, after a tough loss in the regular season finale last Saturday. After the teams traded buckets in their opening possessions, with Youngstown State holding a 3-2 lead, the Phoenix went on a tear, leading 27-8 after the first quarter.
The second quarter was more of the same. Green Bay went 21-33 from the field, with All League picks Bailey Butler and Maddy Schreiber reaching dropping in 10 points to pace the Phoenix. Co-Sixth Player of the Year Callie Genke made it rain from deep, adding in 9, all from behind the 3pt arc. Green Bay outrebounded Youngstown State 21–8 in the opening 20 minutes and forced 10 Penguins turnovers. The Phoenix would increase the lead up to 32 points 53-21 at the half.
Green Bay continued to roll through the second half. Youngstown State made its first 2 3 point attempts out of the break, but that was as close of a rally the Penguins would have. Every Phoenix on the roster scored, with 5 girls in double digits, led by Cassie Schiltz with 16 points, Maddy Schreiber ending with 15, Maren Westin with a career high 13, Callie Genke scoring 11, and Bailey Butler finishing with 10 points. Green Bay would lead by as much as 37 in the contest.
In her postgame with the Phoenix Radio Network, Associate Head Coach said Bailey Butler set the tone early and the team was able to rally with her. Vogel said the team had practiced incredibly well the last 3 days and said she told her mother, “If we play as well as we practiced, there’s not a team in this league who can beat us”. In all likelihood tonight will be Vogel’s last game on the bench at the Kress Center, as she has accepted a job as an assistant coach in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury once the Green Bay season comes to an end.
Up next, Green Bay heads to Indianapolis for the Horizon League Championship semifinals, in a contest against Purdue Fort Wayne, who Green Bay swept in the regular season series.
