GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) --- It was a full slate for the Green Bay women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon to end the regular season, with the team not only playing for the No. 2 seed in the Horizon League Tournament, but also having Senior Day, Parents' Day and Homecoming Week all on the docket. GB did not disappoint the 3,000-plus people in attendance and secured a 71-51 victory.
The Phoenix soared out at an 8-0 lead to open the game, a period which included a tone-setting transition where Mackenzie Wolf blocked a jumper down low, Madison Wolf secured the rebound and pushed it up to floor to Frankie Wurtz who drew the attention of the defense and found a wide-open Hailey Oskey for the first triple of the game.
The Penguins began chipping away at their deficit and with just over three minutes remaining in the first it was back to a one-possession game at 10-8. Back-to-back triples from Lyndsey Robson and Meghan Pingel offered GB some breathing room and doubled up YSU, 16-8.
The Phoenix enjoyed a 17-5 run in the second quarter after a stretch of five three-pointers, with three coming from Oskey and leading to a 35-18 advantage.
The half came to a close with GB leading 37-23 after shooting 8-for-12 (66.7%) from long range and 14-for-26 (53.8%) from the floor. Green Bay moved the ball extremely well, which was evident from having an assist associated with every basket.
Youngstown State was able to keep pace with the Phoenix in the third quarter and even owned a momentary advantage in the frame. The Green Bay defense held the Penguins scoreless for the final two minutes, 33 seconds of the period and was able to build its lead back up to 14 points at 52-38.
Green Bay diminished any hopes of a Penguins' comeback in the final quarter and secured a 71-51 victory to notch its sixth-consecutive victory. A special moment occurred with 33 seconds left in the game, when Anna Dier checked into the game after suffering a season-ending injury earlier this year.
All four seniors checked out to a standing ovation moments later.
With the victory, Green Bay punched its ticket to the Horizon League Tournament semifinals as the No. 2 seed and will wait until Monday, March 9 to take the floor at the Indiana Farmer's Coliseum.
