@WSUWBasketball Faces Green Bay in League Final

Tuesday, March 12

Detroit, MI

Noon

Wright State University

Green Bay

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Photo by: Jose Juarez

3/11/2019 7:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Raiders vs Green Bay Tue., March 12 at Noon ESPNU Live Stats Tickets Motor City Madness March Madness

By: Thomas Nugent

At noon on Tuesday March 12^th, the Wright State Raiders and Green Bay Phoenix will face off in the Horizon League Championship in Detroit, MI on ESPNU.

Wright State and Green Bay split the regular-season series with the Raiders taking the first matchup 85-67 at the Nutter Center. In their second meeting of the season, the Phoenix avenged their early conference loss to Raiders with a 56-37 win in Green Bay.

Last season the two teams met in the conference finals with Green Bay cutting down the nets after a 62-44 win against Wright State. In 2015, Wright State and Green Bay met in the conference finals, and the Phoenix came away with title after a 86-77 win. In 2014, Wright State took down Green Bay 88-69 in the conference finals to earn an NCAA March Madness berth.

Wright State
The Raiders went 14-2 in the regular season against Horizon League opponents and earned the No.1 seed in the conference tournament. In the regular season, Wright State's only blemishes in the conference came against Youngstown State and Green Bay. In the first round of the Horizon League Tournament, Wright State hosted No.8 Oakland at home. Against the Grizzlies, the Raiders showed the depth of their bench and complete game with an 83-60 win.

Advancing to the semifinals, No.1 Wright State would match up with No.4 IUPUI. On Monday afternoon, the Raiders found themselves in a fight to advance to the finals. At one point, the Raiders held a 15-point lead but the Jaguars battled back within striking distance with the help of hot three-point shooting. With their lead diminished to just four points, Wright State held off IUPUI in the last three minutes due to forcing turnovers and the ability to draw fouls. The Raiders would punch their ticket to the finals with a 60-51 win against the Jags.

With the win against IUPUI, Wright State officially tied their program record for most wins at 26 which was set by the 2013-14 team

Green Bay
The Phoenix went 13-3 in the regular season en route to their Horizon League Conference Finals berth. With their only conference losses coming against Wright State, IUPUI, and Youngstown State, Green Bay earned the No.2 seed in the conference tournament. In the first round of the conference tournament, Green Bay played hosts to No.7 seed Cleveland State. Against the Vikings, the Phoenix flexed their muscles on both sides of the court with a dominating 73-30 win at home.

Moving to Detroit, Green Bay matched up against No.3 seed Youngstown State. The Phoenix found a tougher matchup against the Penguins in the Little Caesars Arena. Green Bay led for as many as 13 points in the game but Youngstown State battled back to make a game of it and at one point led by three points against the Phoenix. Looking at a deficit, the Phoenix defense held strong against in the waning minutes against the Penguins. Holding Youngstown State scoreless from the field for the last 4:33 of the game, Green Bay regained the lead to win 55-53.

The Phoenix hope to take the rubber match against the Raiders after splitting the regular-season series. Green Bay also has another motivation in taking down Wright State. With the Raiders' regular-season title, Wright State broke a twenty-year streak of Green Bay winning at least a share of the Horizon League title.

Players to Watch
Mackenzie Taylor was named to the All-League First Team by Horizon League officials. Taylor is the Raiders' leading scorer with an 11.9 scoring average. Earlier this season, Taylor became the 21^nd member to enter Wright State women's basketball 1000 Point Club.

Symone Simmons was voted to the All-League Second Team. Simmons sits at the top of the conference in rebounds, pulling in 9.9 each game. Earlier this season Simmons became Wright State's first players to enter the 1000 Point and 1000 Rebound Club. Simmons became the 22^nd member of the 1000 Point Club along with her fellow senior teammates Mackenzie Taylor and Emily Vogelpohl.

Emily Vogelpohl was named to the All-Defensive Team for the second time in her career. Vogelpohl averages 9.0 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, and has forced 54 steals on the season.

Angel Baker was tabbed to the All-Freshman Team. Baker is the Raiders' third leading scorer with a 9.3 scoring average.

Michal Miller is second on the Raiders' roster in scoring with 11.6 points per game. Miller is 13^th in the league in three-pointers per game with a 1.5 average.

Green Bay's Jen Wellnitz was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and also tabbed as a member of the All-League First Team and All-Defensive Team. Wellnitz averages 8.8 points per game, pulls in 3.4 rebounds per game, and has forced 73 steals this season.

Laken James was also named to the All-League Second Team. James is the Phoenix' second-leading scorer with a 9.9 point average. James is also second on the team in rebounds per game with a 5.1 average.

Frankie Wurtz sits at 15^th in scoring average in the conference with a 10.6 ppg on offense but is the leading scorer for the Phoenix. Wurtz is 8^th in the conference in three-pointers per game with 1.8 made each outing.