Fresh off Green Bay’s win over Kansas State, the Phoenix traveled south to play in the Cancun Challenge over the Thanksgiving holiday. Tasked with playing #25 North Carolina State to start the multi-team event, the tropical trip proved to be too much for Green Bay.
In the opening contest, playing the Wolfpack, the Phoenix grabbed an early lead off a Gracie Grzesk three pointer. Both teams traded baskets over the opening minutes of the first quarter, including a Jenna Guyer made three, giving Green Bay a 10 to 8 lead after the media break. The Wolfpack rallied, closing the period on a 12 to 4 run, to take a 22 to 14 lead after the opening quarter.
Out of the break, the Phoenix got another long range shot from freshman sharpshooter Kristina Ouimette to narrow the gap. Zoe Brooks scored on back-to-back possessions for NC State, sandwiching a Meghan Schultz bucket, to increase the lead to nine for the Wolfpack. NC State would build the advantage to as high as 12 in the period, prior to a 8 to 0 run for the Phoenix, highlighted by buckets from Guyer, Grzesk, and Maddy Skorupski. Brooks did help the Wolfpack halt the Green Bay momentum, earning a trip to the free throw line at the halftime buzzer, and splitting her trip to the line to increase the NC State lead to 36 to 31.
Coming out of the halftime break, the Phoenix turned a Carley Duffney steal into another made triple by Grzesk to close the Wolfpack advantage to a single possession. Zamareya Jones scored back to back buckets to increase the lead for NC State, but the Phoenix would get another timely three from Skorupski that turned the momentum back to Green Bay. Duffney scored next time down, followed by a pair of made free throws by Schultz and a Grzesk layup to cap off a 9 to 0 run which gave the Phoenix a 43 to 40 lead near the midway point of the third period.
NC State then got back on the board, as both teams traded baskets ahead of the Wolfpack going on a small run of their own to regain the lead. Schultz was able to hit a pair of free throws to tie things back up at 52 to 52 in the closing minute of the quarter, but a Brooks free throw and a Jones triple at buzzer gave NC State a 56 to 52 advantage, heading into the final quarter. Grzesk continued her long-range sharp shooting to help close the gap back to one point, but it would be the closest the Phoenix would get, as NC State outscored Green Bay by 11 points to close out the game, taking down the Phoenix 79 to 67. Grzesk’s collegiate career high of 23 led all scorers, with Guyer chipping in 15, and 10 from Duffney.
Green Bay closed out the event by playing the Richmond Spiders on Friday evening. The Phoenix got early buckets from Schultz and Skorupski to grab an early 5 to 0 lead, until the tide turned drastically in favor of the Spiders. Richmond rallied to tie the game, and grab a 7 to 5 lead. Guyer briefly tied the game back up at 7, prior to the Spiders going on a 14 to 0 run to close the period over the final 5:16 of the first quarter. Richmond’s Rachel Ullstrom scored 5 consecutive points to start the 2nd, prior to Green Bay getting back on the board with a Kamy Peppler layup. Guyer scored on back to back possessions to help the Phoenix attempt a rally, but Richmond continued to punch back, as the Spiders took a 36 to 20 advantage into the halftime break.
Green Bay would be able to piece together a couple smaller runs to inch back into the game throughout the 2nd half, but Richmond was able to answer each run with one of their own. The Spiders would build the lead as high as 27 points, outscoring the Phoenix in the 3rd by five points. Green Bay would outscore Richmond in the final 10 minutes, and did win the turnover battle, while also getting more points off the bench. Despite the Phoenix best effort, the Spiders were victorious, winning 76 to 59. Guyer lead the Phoenix with 16 points, with Skorupski also finishing in double figures with 11 points.
Green Bay will look to bounce back with the start of the conference season, traveling to Northern Kentucky to kick off Horizon League play on Thursday, tip off slated for 5:00 PM CT from Truist Arena. The Phoenix return home Sunday for an 11:30 AM tip against Youngstown State, a game that was initially slated for a 10:00 AM start, due to the Bears vs Packers game being changed from a noon kickoff to 3:25 PM.
