Unbeaten Wisconsin-Green Bay is showing no sign of sliding from its lofty ranking
Julie Wojta scored 14 of her 16 points in the first half and the 10th-ranked Phoenix routed Wisconsin-Milwaukee 85-39 on Saturday night.
Green Bay (20-0, 10-0 Horizon League), which entered with its highest ranking ever, coasted to its 40th straight regular-season victory. This one came in front of a sellout crowd of 4,018.
''I know a lot of people gave a lot of money to make the Kress Center (possible) and our administration, how hard they worked to make this place happen,'' said Green Bay coach Matt Bollant, whose team has won 27 in a row at home. ''And I've got to believe this is part of what they envisioned - to be able to have a sellout and play a rival and beat them the way we did and to have so many people excited about women's basketball in the community.''
It was the second convincing victory for Green Bay against Milwaukee this season. The Phoenix won 88-53 at Milwaukee earlier this year, and while this one was close for the first few minutes, the Panthers never really stood a chance.
''Green Bay, we just talk about their culture. This is a team that they just play every single possession and we have a team that hasn't quite figured the importance of that yet,'' Milwaukee coach Sandy Botham said. ''They just came at us.
''Give Green Bay credit. They are on a mission and you can tell the way they play.''
The Phoenix are inching closer to an undefeated season, but Bollant and his players say they never let the thought of running the table even cross their mind.
But Green Bay has certainly made a believer out of Botham.
''I don't even think Baylor can (beat them),'' Botham said with a smile. ''No, nobody can beat them (in the Horizon League). They're on a mission and they have a culture here. That's a culture we all in the Horizon League want to get to. The system they have is just great and they have different people stepping up. They play with a lot of confidence and a fierce competitiveness.''
Sarah Eichler also finished with 16 points for the Phoenix, who had five players score in double figures.
The Phoenix closed the first half with a 17-2 run. Green Bay led 48-22 at the break after Adrian Ritchie's deep buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
Hannah Quilling, a reserve, scored 12 points, and Ritchie and Lydia Bauer had 10 apiece for the Phoenix.
Angela Rodriguez hit four 3s and finished with 12 points for Milwaukee (6-15, 2-8).
