by ROCHESTER, Mich. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) — Knocking down a program-record 15 3-pointers and closing the game on a 14-3 run, Green Bay picked up its first road win of the season on Thursday night, coming back to beat Oakland 96-90 at the Athletics Center O’rena. The Phoenix (11-19, 6-11 HL), led by Sandy Cohen III‘s career-high 36 points and 11 rebounds, trailed 87-82 with just under 3 minutes left in the game, but scored 12 of the next 13 points to grab control and stun the Golden Grizzlies (17-13, 9-8 HL) on their home floor.
Cohen scored 24 points in the second half alone, and added an exclamation point to finish the game with a breakaway layup and his 36th point. The redshirt-junior enjoyed the best game of his collegiate career, registering his fourth double-double behind an efficient shooting night. Cohen finished a career-high 4-for-6 from beyond the arc and went 12-for-13 at the free throw, while also dishing out five assists.
The 3-pointers were raining early and often for the Phoenix, which also picked up the season sweep over Oakland with the win. GB hit eight 3s in the first half alone, but it was the 7-for-13 effort from long range in the second half that helped erase a 10-point deficit and record the comeback victory.
GB trailed 56-46 with 15:37 to play, but used an 8-0 run in only 1:37 to get back within one possession. Cohen helped keep the Phoenix on pace with Oakland, at one point scoring 13 of 18 points for the Phoenix with both teams trading blows on the offensive end.
Cohen and the Phoenix trailed 88-85 with 2:10 to play, and after Kameron Hankerson buried a free throw and Cohen converted a layup, the game was tied at 88-88 with 1:39 left. Khalil Small then got the steal and scored on the other end to give the Phoenix its first lead of the game at 90-88.
Oakland then missed a 3-pointer and Small scored again to give his team the two-possession advantage. Cohen would score the final four points of the game, while the team defense forced Oakland into four missed 3-pointers and a pair of turnovers in the final two minutes.
Small did his part in the high-scoring affair, scoring 20 points and grabbing eight rebounds. It’s the 11th 20-plus point scoring effort for the senior, who ranks second in the Horizon League in scoring. Small moved into 14th all-time in scoring in program history, passing both Troy Cotton (2006-10) and Ben Berlowski (1992-96).
Hankerson (13 points) and David Jesperson (11 points) also finished in double-figures for Green Bay, which shot a season-high 57.1 percent (32-for-56) from the field. GB shot just under 60 percent in the second half alone, finishing 19-for-32 (59.4 percent).
GB also racked up 20 assists, the most against any Division I opponent this season. All eight players to play in the game for GB scored at least two points.
The 15 3-pointers made sets a new program-record, besting the previous record of 14 3s which had occurred five times in the program’s history. GB has now made 11 or more 3-pointers in four-straight games.
Oakland was led by Kendrick Nunn’s 39 points and Jalen Hayes’ 22 points. Nunn and Cohen stole the show in the second half, with the two players combining to score 46 points.
Green Bay will look for its second-straight win and the all-important momentum heading into next weekend’s Motor City Madness, when it visits Detroit Mercy on Saturday afternoon. The Phoenix and Titans will conclude the regular season at 1 p.m. CT inside Calihan Hall.
