Green Bay Phoenix women edge past Norfolk State

Green Bay (5-3) has won consecutive games after having a three-game win streak come to a halt on Thursday against Virginia. Saturday’s win marked the fifth game GB has played that has finished within five points, and the third game to finish within three points.

Maddy Schreiber was on a heater Saturday morning, leading all scorers with 23 points, shooting 9-of-14 from the field. She also grabbed four rebounds and tallied an assist. She was the only Phoenix to reach double figures, with Bailey Butler scoring nine and Natalie McNeal and Callie Genke each recording eight points.

Norfolk State (7-3) was led by Diamond Johnson’s 17 points. Kierra Wheeler added 14, and Anjanae Richardson chipped in with 10.

The Phoenix started strong thanks to a bucket by Schreiber and a three from Butler. Norfolk State had a quick run capped with a triple from Richardson, giving NSU a 9-7 lead with 3:49 left in the opening stanza. GB ended the frame on a strong note, getting a layup from McNeal on a second-chance opportunity before getting a buzzer-beating jumper from Butler, going into quarter number two with a 16-13 edge. Green Bay put an arm’s length between them and the Spartans in the second frame, getting threes from Schreiber, Miah Meyer, and Genke. GB popped off for 22 points and outscored NSU by 17 in the quarter, going into the break with a commanding 38-18 lead.

GB went ice cold out of intermission, with the Spartans sprinting to an 11-0 run, pulling back to within nine at 38-29 with 4:09 remaining in the third quarter. Schreiber stopped the bleeding with an and-one off a terrific pass inside from Jenna Guyer, but it was the only three points GB scored in the third period. Despite the struggles, Green Bay went into the last frame with a 41-34 lead. Following a Butler three to extend GB’s lead to 53-43 midway through the fourth quarter, Norfolk State slowly crept back into the contest. Wheeler finished a layup before Da’Brya Clark knocked down a triple, pulling the Spartans to within five. Wheeler eventually completed what ended up being a 9-0 run for the Spartans with a layup to give NSU a 54-53 lead with 19 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Schreiber turned around and banked a shot off the glass for the lead with eight seconds remaining, which proved to be the game-winner in a thrilling 55-54 victory.

ON THE HORIZON
Green Bay has its Horizon League opener on deck. The Green and White will welcome IU Indy, formerly IUPUI, to the Kress Center next Wednesday for a 6 PM tipoff