Feb. 17, 2007

Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. - Mike Schachtner scored a game-high 25 points, leading four University of Wisconsin-Green Bay players in double figures as the Phoenix picked up its first BracketBusters win in four tries with an 82-76 victory at Northern Illinois Saturday afternoon.

Ryan Tillema and Ryan Evanochko added 17 points apiece and Terry Evans chipped in with 10 for UW-Green Bay (16-12) which shot 50 percent from the field and made 25 of 29 free throw attempts.

Zach Pancratz scored 22 points to lead the Huskies (6-19) while James Hughes contributed 19 points and four blocked shots.

UW-Green Bay led throughout the majority of the contest but found itself ahead by just three at 67-64 with three minutes and 53 seconds remaining following a pair of free throws by Hughes.

But the Phoenix took over down the stretch, executing on offense and getting stops on the defensive end. After Tillema split a pair from the charity stripe, Aswan Minatee blocked Hughes' shot and Tillema drilled his fourth 3-pointer of the game. NIU's ensuing shot from behind the arc was off the mark and Schachtner responded with a baseline jumper. Following another stop, Evanochko hit on two from the free throw line, capping an eight-point run and giving UW-Green Bay an 11-point lead at 75-64 with 1:43 remaining.

The Phoenix would make seven of eight free throw attempts the rest of the way to seal the win.

"What won us the game was from the eight-minute mark to the two-minute mark," Phoenix head coach Tod Kowalczyk said of his team's play down the stretch. "I thought we really gutted it out, grinded, defended better and took away some of their open shot attempts. That's what won us the game."

Both teams shot lights-out in the opening half of play with Northern Illinois hitting 55.2 percent (16-29) and the Phoenix making 53.6 percent (15-28). Schachtner led the way with 14 points while Evanochko handed out all five of his assists before the intermission as UW-Green Bay took a 41-38 lead into halftime.

Other than the Huskies tying the game six minutes into the second half, the Phoenix led by single digits throughout the final 20 minutes of play until pulling away late.

Evans had a solid all-around game for UW-Green Bay as he grabbed eight rebounds and had three steals and a block while making all four of his field goal attempts and both of his tries from the foul line.

The Phoenix returns to action at 7:05 p.m. Monday when it hosts nationally ranked Butler at the Resch Center.