Most mid-majors don’t host Power 5 opponents. Most mid-majors aren’t Green Bay. Saturday afternoon saw the Green Bay Phoenix host the a Creighton Blue Jays out of the Big East Conference. While Green Bay was able to upset the Blue Jays on their home floor last season, the Phoenix were unable to make it two in a row, as Creighton was victorious in the Kress Center 74-52.
Numbers never lie, but they don’t always tell the truth. The scoreboard will show a 22-point loss, but to anyone watching, this was not indicative of how this game went. A slow start had Green Bay down double digits early, as Creighton made 4 of its first 5 shots. Maddy Schreiber was able to get the Phoenix in the scoring column, first with a pair of made free throws, then with a post move, breaking up an 0-11 shooting draught from the floor. Cassie Schiltz and Natalie McNeal also got on the board, cutting the deficit to 14-8 as the first quarter came to an end.
Natalie McNeal opened up scoring in the quarter, first with a midrange jumper, and followed it up with another off a Jasmine Kondrakiewicz steal, which made it a 14-12 ballgame. Creighton went on a 9-0 run, getting the lead back up to 11 before Maddy Schreiber split a pair of free throws to break up the run. As the quarter went on, Green Bay brought the lead down to five after a Callie Genke three brought the Kress Center to life, but was immediately quieted by a made three from Creighton, who used that to go on a run that led to the Blue Jays going into halftime with a 37-22 lead.
Green Bay wasn’t going to go away without a fight. Natalie McNeal, Bailey Butler, and Jenna Guyer all hit shots. The Phoenix, unfortunately for themselves, were unable to make a drastic cut into Creighton’s lead as the Blue Jays also continued its potent offensive attack. Green Bay went into the third quarter media break down 42-29 before Creighton used another Phoenix scoring draught to go up big. After shooting just 4 of 12 from the field in the 3rd, Green Bay went into the final 10 minutes trailing 54-31.
The 4th started off with a bang, but not in a good way. While trying to track down a loose ball, Jasmine Kondrakiewicz took a rough fall into the camera area. She was able to get up under her own power and while she did not return to game action, she was able to return to the Phoenix bench. Natalie McNeal got the offense back going with an And-1, and then scoring on Green Bay’s next possession. The Blue Jays had 1 final run left, putting the game away as the lead approached 30. Green Bay went to the bench, checking in Meghan Schultz, Ellie Buzzelle, and Sophie Lahti, getting 3 points from Schultz in the closing minutes.
Natalie McNeal led all scorers with 19 points and was the only Phoenix in double figures. Jenna Guyer and Maddy Schreiber were closest, with 7 points each. Molly Mogensen dropped 18, Morgan Maly added 17, and Lauren Jensen had 15 for the victorious Blue Jays. As a team, Green Bay was held to 19-55 shooting from the field, and an uncharacteristic 3-11 from behind the arc.
Green Bay will be back in action from the Kress Center on Thursday, hosting in-state Division 3 foe, the Ripon College Red Hawks. Tipoff is set for 6pm.
