Sports are a fickle thing sometimes. Sometimes, everything can be going your way, until momentum suddenly swings the other way. When Green Bay hosted Purdue Fort Wayne last Thursday, everything went right. Shots fell, balls bounced the right way, a student even hit a full court putt for $200 of free meat during one of the media stoppages. When Green Bay traveled south on I-43 on Sunday, the Phoenix got off to a great start, things seemed to be going the same way, until they weren’t.
Green Bay got out to an early lead, as Marcus Hall started what would be a banner day for the junior forward, hitting two early three pointers to set the pace for the Phoenix. Milwaukee kept pace early, getting to the free throw line several times in the opening half. Preston Ruedinger hit a long range shot of his own, which gave Green Bay an 11-7 lead at the under-12 media break.
As the half closed, the Phoenix kept the gas pedal on, getting bench points from Maruan Cicic and Vukasin Todorovic. Milwaukee didn’t fade away, as Aaron Franklin splashed a triple to shrink Green Bay’s advantage briefly, until CJ O’Hara got the lead back to a two possession game ahead of the final media stoppage of the first half. Hall’s big day continued, as he scored the final basket of the half for either team, giving the Phoenix a 31-25 advantage to take into the locker room.
The second half of the game got off to a fast and furious start, as both teams scored twice in the first couple minutes of the half. The Panthers slowly started to chip into the Green Bay lead, outscoring the Phoenix 11-10 in the opening segment of the second half. After the media break, Chandler Jackson cut the lead further, back down to a single possession contest. The in-state rivals continued matching baskets throughout, with Stevie Elam leading the Panthers charge.
Jackson gave Milwaukee its first lead of the game with a three pointer, giving the Panthers a 47-45 lead. This advantage was short-lived, as Ruedinger answered back with a three of his own on Green Bay’s ensuing possession. Hall and O’Hara were raining down deep balls, putting the Phoenix up by eight points when Bart Lundy called a time out to bring the under-8 timeout. Out of the break, Jackson brought the Panthers back into the game with a 5-0 run of his own, to trim the deficit.
Controversy struck, as Ruedinger took contact on a shot that did not draw a call, and Coach Gottlieb was whistled for a technical by the officiating crew. Augillard went to the line and knocked down both free throws, cutting Green Bay’s advantage to just one point. By now, most have seen Gottlieb’s postgame press conference, where he says “I need the new commissioner of the Horizon League to explain to me what a technical foul is when I don’t leave the box, I don’t curse, I’m not demonstrative,” he said. “There was nothing, nothing that should have been called a technical foul. I know when I earn one. I did not earn one.”
Regardless, the technical was assessed, Augillard made the free throws, and Green Bay still had 7 minutes to defend its lead. Faizon Fields briefly put Milwaukee back in front, before Hall and Justin Allen each scored to put the Phoenix back in front. The game seesawed back and forth, prior to the final media stoppage where Green Bay held a one-point lead.
The game would hold this pattern until the final minute of the contest. Hall made a layup with 0:46 left on the clock, putting the Phoenix back up by one, and prompting a Panthers timeout. While the Phoenix’s defense was able to force an initial miss on Milwaukee’s next possession, the Panthers grabbed the offensive rebound, and Augillard drew a foul on Ruedinger with 0:24 on the clock.
This call would also draw Gottlieb’s ire in the now viral clip circulating social media, stating that it was the exact same play, among other choice words. Once again, Augillard played hero, and hit the clutch free throws to go back in front. Green Bay was unable to get a shot up on its end, or draw a whistle, and Elam gathered a loose ball in the final seconds, drawing a foul. Elam hit both free throws to ice the game for the Panthers, giving Milwaukee a 75 to 72 win.
Hall’s career high of 32 points led all scorers in the contest. Ruedinger added 12, and O’Hara chipped in 10 to round out double digits scoring efforts for Green Bay. Jackson’s 23 points off the bench led the Panthers in the win.
The Phoenix will remain on the road this week, making a trip to Michigan for the annual greater Detroit area swing. Green Bay will face Oakland on Friday at the O’Rena, with that game slated for a 6pm CT tipoff.
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