by GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – A challenging three-game road trip to start the season along with a talent-rich preseason tournament in Florida, joined by a full slate of Horizon League games make the 2014-15 Green Bay women’s basketball schedule an exciting one, as released by head coach Kevin Borseth and the conference office on Thursday morning.
This year’s home schedule is highlighted by five games against non-conference opponents and eight contests against Horizon League foes. The team will also play two home exhibition contests, which will take place on Nov. 1 and Nov. 6 at the Kress Center.
Indian Country’s own Tesha Buck (Mdewakanton Sioux) returns for her Sophomore season after being named the Horizon League’s Conference Freshman of the Year last season. As a freshman, Buck led all freshman in the conference in numerous categories. She topped the freshman in the regular season in points (10.2 per game), assists (4.1 per game), steals (1.8 per game), three-point field goals made (54) and assist-turnover ratio (1.77).
Season tickets are on sale now for the 2014-15 season, and Green Bay Athletics is proud to announce that ticket prices have been frozen for the 2014-15 season and will continue to be $143 for adults and $113 for seniors (60 and older) and youth (17 and younger). Fans can order and renew season tickets by following the appropriate link at the top of this page or by calling 920.465.2625. Paper invoices with full seating details will be mailed this week.
The renewal deadline to ensure your same seat as last year is Oct. 3. Any requests for upgrades or transfers should also be submitted by that date. Single-game tickets and mini plans will be available beginning Oct. 20.
A schedule littered with big name programs and postseason teams from a year ago will be a difficult challenge for this year’s team, but one that will prepare them for the rigors of the Horizon League schedule. Just this season alone, Green Bay will face nine teams that finished in the RPI Top 100 a season ago, with the potential to play 11 depending on how things shake out at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
The season tips off on Nov. 15 when the Phoenix heads down I-43 to face Marquette in Milwaukee, two days later it travels to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt before visiting Purdue on Nov. 19. Green Bay will play three games in six days against two NCAA Tournament teams (Vanderbilt and Purdue) from last season and a WNIT team in Marquette.
The 2014-15 home-opener will be on Nov. 22 at 1 p.m., when the Phoenix takes on Duquesne, one of the nine RPI Top 100 teams on the schedule this season. Things won’t get any easier for Green Bay, as the team travels to the Sunshine State for the 2014 Gulf Coast Showcase that is completely loaded with talent.
“It doesn’t get any better than Connecticut, let’s put it that way, and if it comes up we’ve got to play against them, then we’ve got to be ready to go,” Borseth said.
A home date against Western Michigan welcomes Green Bay back from Florida on Dec. 6, before the team travels to face assistant coach Megan Vogel’s alma mater at South Dakota State on Dec. 10. The Jackrabbits went 26-10 a season ago and reached the semifinals of the WNIT, finishing 49th in the RPI standings before winning its sixth-straight Summitt League title.
In-state rival Wisconsin comes calling on Dec. 13, as the Badgers invade the Kress Center on graduation day for the Green Bay seniors. A week later the Phoenix host Vermont, for a 1 p.m. tip time on Dec. 20.
Wrapping up the 2014 calendar year is also a tall order, as Green Bay will visit (Dec. 28) a Dayton squad that went 23-8 last season and qualified for the NCAA Tournament as an at-large. In all, the Phoenix will face five 2013 NCAA Tournament teams with the possibility of playing against seven total.
The New Year is brought in with the final non-conference game of the season, as Green Bay will take on Davenport at home on Jan. 3. Davenport finished in the Fab Four of the NAIA Tournament last season, after going 34-2 in 2013-14.
Horizon League action gets underway on Jan. 7 against Wright State in Ohio, which is followed by back-to-back home games against Youngstown State (Jan. 10) and Milwaukee (Jan. 17). The Phoenix will play four-straight games on the road during league play, before returning home for three-straight.
The season concludes on Mar. 7 at home against Detroit.
A roster comprised of just one senior will be tested early and often throughout 2014-15, taking on a schedule that will prepare the Phoenix for conference play and moving forward into the postseason.
“They’re all going to be challenging,” Borseth said.
