March 6, 2008

Box Score

GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay women's basketball team (24-4, 16-1) rallied thanks to a career-high 34 points by junior center Lavesa Glover Thursday evening, as the Phoenix defeated Wright State 78-73 in overtime.

Glover shot 17-of-21 from the field for the game, setting a team record for field goals in a game and scoring the fifth-most points in a game by an individual in team history. The junior center was 8-of-9 in the first half for 16 points, then added 14 points in the second half and four more in the extra five minutes to set a Kress Center record for scoring.

Aiding in the Phoenix cause was Kayla Groh and Rachel Porath, who added 17 and 14 points, respectively. Porath also had team-highs of six assists and a career-best seven steals.'

Neither team led by more than nine points in the game, as the lead changed nine times with 11 ties. Green Bay led 37-30 at the half before Wright State flip-flopped the score in the second half to force overtime.

Wright State (14-14, 11-6) rushed out of the halftime break on a 21-9 run, bolstered by four three-pointers by Whitney Lewis. Green Bay regained the lead on a layup by Porath with nine minutes to go in regulation, but eight straight points by freshman Shey Peddy gave the Raiders a 64-57 lead with 5:20 to go.

Green Bay rallied, quickly cutting the lead to one on baskets by Groh and Glover and a pair of free throws by Kati Harty. The Phoenix then took a one-point lead with just under two minutes to go on a jumper by Glover.

Wright State then got a free throw from Erica Richardson to knot the game with one minute to go, but neither team could score in the remainder of regulation.

In overtime, both teams traded baskets before a pair of Porath free throws gave Green Bay a four-point lead with 1:39 to go. The Phoenix held Wright State scoreless for three possessions, and with a fast-break layup by Harty with 28 seconds to go, Green Bay sealed its 11th straight win.

Peddy finished the night with a team-high 24 points, while Lewis tallied 20 points, including six three-pointers.

Both teams were on fire from the field, as Green Bay shot 58.5 percent from the field while the Raiders were 53.8 percent on the night, including 11-of-19 from three-point range. While Green Bay had its second game in three outings with only one three-point field goal, the Phoenix posted a 15-6 advantage in free throws.

The contest was plagued with turnovers, as both teams combined for 54 miscues on the night. Green Bay calmed down after 14 first-half turnovers with nine over the final 25 minutes. The Phoenix matched its season-high with 20 steals in 31 Wright State turnovers.

Green Bay will look to set a Horizon League record for league regular season wins Saturday in the regular season finale against Detroit at 1 p.m. The Phoenix, which earned the top-seed in the Horizon League championship, will host a quarterfinal game Wednesday, March 12 at 7 p.m.