by By: Andrew Gavin (@GBGavin)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay women’s basketball team showed great balance all season in posting 27 wins and a Horizon League regular season title. On Sunday afternoon at the Kress Center, depth was on display for the Phoenix as head coach Kevin Borseth’s team secured win No. 28 but more important its 13th tournament title and a return trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Tournament MVP Tesha Buck (Mdewakanton Sioux.) posted 24 points, 10 rebounds, but the performances from two reserves – freshman Allie LeClaire (Green Bay, Wis.) and sophomore Sam Terry (Baraboo, Wis.) – were just as critical to Green Bay (28-4) pulling out a thrilling 86-77 victory over second-seeded Wright State (25-8) in the 2015 Horizon League Championship.
LeClaire scored all 17 of her points after halftime and Terry had 10 of her 16 points after intermission. The reserve duo helped send the Phoenix to its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the past five seasons and exact revenge against a Wright State squad that beat Green Bay in last season’s title game. Green Bay will be making its 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament all-time.
In the overtime period, LeClaire put the Phoenix in front to stay with her fourth three-pointer at the 2:53 mark for a 77-74 lead. The Raiders cut the deficit to one on a layup from Taylor Mingo, but a Terry layup started a 7-0 run to leave no doubt that the Phoenix would be cutting down the nets.
Wright State threatened to pull away from the Phoenix with a 15-2 run midway through the first half to lead 27-15 at the 8:58 mark.
Buck put the hosts on her back, scoring the first nine points of a 15-0 run to put Green Bay in front 30-27. The sophomore had 15 points at the break, but the Raiders responded to take a 35-34 lead at halftime.
In a back and forth second half, the two teams shared the lead on seven separate occasions. LeClaire broke a 63-63 tie with a three-pointer at the 3:58 mark.
With the score tied at 68, Terry made a pair of free throws for the lead. Sophomore Mehryn Kraker (West Allis, Wis.) knocked down a triple for a 73-69 lead with 1:26 to play. The Raiders made a pair of free throws, and after a defensive stop, Mingo scored in the paint to tie the score at 73. Green Bay’s final shot from long range did not fall, and the Kress Center crowd was treated to extra basketball.
Kraker and junior Kaili Lukan (Barrie, Ontario), who earned all-tournament team honors, added 10 points each to give the Phoenix five players in double figures.
Green Bay will learn its draw for the 2015 NCAA Tournament on Monday evening, and the Phoenix welcomes fans to join them at the Kress Events Center for a selection show watch party at 6 p.m. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
