GREEN BAY, Wis. — Will Ryan's debut season as UW-Green Bay's head basketball coach came to an abrupt end Thursday night, as the Phoenix fell to Purdue Fort Wayne 89-84 in double overtime in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament.
Green Bay, the tournaments No. 7 seed, had chances to close out the game at the end of regulation and in the first overtime, but couldn't get a defensive stop in either situation.
As UWGB led by two at the end of regulation, PFW's Ira Kpedi made a dunk to force overtime. Then, leading by three at the end of the first overtime, Fort Wayne's Jalon Pipkins banked in a three to force a second overtime.
There, PFW scored the first five points of the second OT and went on to win 89-84.
"It's never fun," Ryan said of the season-ending loss. "You never plan any type of speech for when that end of the season comes.
"I just told the guys how proud I was of them for getting better and fighting. We just didn't have enough pieces, didn't have enough fire power."
The Phoenix played without senior guard Josh Jefferson, who sat out with an upper body injury. Senior guard P.J. Pipes led the team in scoring with 27 points despite playing through an ankle injury.
