GREEN BAY — It was senior day for the UW-Green Bay women's basketball team, as the school honored a very special group of seniors who have meant so much to the program.
How fitting it would be that a senior, Natalie McNeal, would lift them to the Horizon League regular season crown as they took down Purdue Fort Wayne 68-63 in overtime. The Mastodons came into Saturday tied with the Phoenix at the top of the standings.
"That was a Green Bay win, we're behind, we come back, we take it to overtime and we finish it off," senior Cassie Schiltz said. "That was an all-around team win and that was amazing."
The Phoenix found themselves down by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, but came back to take a one point lead when the quarter ended and found themselves up 1 at halftime.
The Mastodons led by as many as 7 points in the second half, but the Phoenix stormed back to force overtime.
In overtime, the Phoenix took control early, Cassie Schiltz scored the first points of OT with a three-pointer. She was 0-7 from the field with zero points before that.
"Well, I looked around and nobody was in front of me and shot and I was like, 'oh wow, good start'," Schiltz said. "You just need one."
UW-Green Bay would then take control from there to win the game.
Natalie McNeal was all over the place for the Phoenix on both sides of the floor. She finished with a double-double, a game-high 27 points and an also game-high 13 boards.
"There's no better way to celebrate my friends," McNeal said. "Honestly, it's the last couple of games at the Kress Center and to have the crowd we did — this is such an amazing feeling. Obviously, this is just a stepping stone for where want to be the rest of March, but I feel like it's a great way to start March."
The Phoenix win their 23rd Horizon League regular season crown in program history. It was extra special for first-year Phoenix head coach Kayla Karius, as she now has won it as a player and now as a coach.
"It's pretty surreal, I think still," said Karius after the game. "It's what your dream about as a player. It's what you dream about as a coach, but I think on the coaching side you just want it so bad for your players. I know the experience and how it felt as a player and I just — because of who they are, I wanted it so bad for them. Our staff too, we would do whatever it takes just make sure that they have this experience. They went out and they earned it."
The Phoenix earned the one seed in the Horizon League tournament and have a bye in the first round. They will host the lowest remaining seed on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Kress Center.
