by GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) –Seeing its eight-game winning streak and perfect Horizon League record come to an end, the Green Bay women’s basketball team fell to Oakland 70-67 at the Kress Center on Wednesday night.
Green Bay (17-4, 7-1 HL) led by 11 with just over 15 minutes remaining in the game, but rebounding and poor shooting allowed the visiting Golden Grizzlies (10-11, 4-4 HL) to steal one. It’s the first time this season the Phoenix has lost at home and the first time it has lost to a team with a sub .500 record.
The game was tied at 59-59 with just over two minutes remaining, before Oakland forward Olivia Nash grabbed one of her 14 rebounds on a missed three-pointer and put the layup in to give her team a two-point lead. Green Bay would inexplicably get called for a five second call, as the team was unable to keep the ball in motion, turning it back over to Oakland.
Nash then scored again on the inside, increasing the GB deficit to four with 1:27 left. Mehryn Kraker would cut the lead in half with a driving layup, before Oakland knocked down a huge three-pointer and Tesha Buck (Sioux) answered with 21 seconds left to put the score at 66-64. Oakland then converted both free throws, and GB would run out of time to suffer its first Horizon League defeat of the year and its first-ever to Oakland.
Green Bay was outrebounded 44-38 and allowed 16 offensive rebounds, 10 of which came in the second half. The Phoenix shot 6-for-23 from beyond the arc in the contest.
Kraker led the scoring efforts for GB, finishing with a team-high 17 points. Buck added 14 points and nine rebounds and Kaili Lukan contributed 12 points and nine rebounds.
Oakland benefitted from a 21-point, 14 rebound output from forward Olivia Nash.
Green Bay is home for its second-straight this Saturday (Feb. 7), when it hosts Cleveland State for a 1 p.m. contest. The Phoenix is 3-0 following defeats this season.
