GREEN BAY, WIS. --- The University of Wisconsin- Green Bay shot 70 percent from the field and 61 percent from behind the arc, seeming as if they could not miss Saturday afternoon, as the University of North Dakota men's basketball team suffered its worst loss of the season, 96-58, in the Resch Center. The Sioux fell to 6-4 overall.
The Phoenix finished the game with five players in double-digit points, led by Ryan Tillema and Mike Schachtner, who both had 21 points while improving to 7-4 on the year.
Junior Dustin Monsebroten (Newfolden, Minn.) came off the bench to lead the Sioux with 17 points, a season high. Monsebroten shot 6-for-7 from the field and 4-for-5 from three-point range.
Senior Daniel Harkins (Portage, Wis.) was second on the team with nine points in a return to his home state. He also led the team with five rebounds.
“They got out of the gates really strong,” head coach Brian Jones said. “We never responded well and our execution was poor offensively and defensively. That is the thing about moving to Division I - the athletes have the size and strength and we need to be able to prove that we can compete and execute at that level if we want to show that we belong.”
The Phoenix were 13-for-21 from behind the arc as Tillema was 5-for-8 and Troy Cotton and Brent Eaton each went 3-for-4.
Green Bay was able to jump out to a double-digit lead in the first five minutes of the game and an 18-4 separation after six minutes. The Phoenix would add a two-point field goal before back-to-back possessions led to back-to-back three-pointers. Within the next minute they would add another three pointer and a three-point play from the foul line to push the lead to 32-9.
The Sioux trailed by 22 heading to the locker room where they looked to regroup from a first half in which the Phoenix shot 64 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc.
The hot shooting from the field wasn't the only problem the Sioux faced heading into the locker room, as the Phoenix were able to force their way to the free-throw line going 9-for-14 with the Sioux only able to get to the line twice, going 1-for-3.
The final free-throw attempts evened, but Green Bay made 13-of-19 while the Sioux struggled, going 7-for-15.
“We did not play well today and that is the good thing when you do not play well is you get another chance to play again on Monday night,” Jones said. “Our guys have been really resilient and tough-minded so I don't expect anything less from them. We are banged up and we got some sick bodies but that is where we are at and it is not going to change so we just have to find a way.”
The Sioux remain on the road as they depart from Green Bay, Wis. and head to Wichita, Kan., to take on Wichita State on Monday at 7 p.m.
“You just need to stay positive and believe,” Jones said. “I think that is a big thing. That is another game where we travel and play another good team that has great tradition. It is just another chance to play.”
