GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – It’s tournament time for the Green Bay women’s basketball team as they prepare for their first round matchup against Minnesota at 5 p.m. on Friday. The Phoenix heard their name called on Sunday as the 13th seed after a third consecutive Horizon League tournament championship.
“I think you’re at this point of the season where you just want to keep playing basketball for as long as you can,” said Green Bay head coach Kayla Karius. “You’ve developed such great relationships amongst the players and the coaches, and as well as this group has played together, you want to just see it continue.”
Now the task ahead is far from an easy one as UWGB faces a 22-8 Minnesota squad, which boasts three wins over ranked opponents this season.
UW-Green Bay exploring addition of men’s wrestling program
“I think the belief level is high, I think we’re playing at a really good level,” said Karius. “We had a couple really good performances (at the Horizon League tournament) down in Indy, and I think the trust level is at an all-time high for us, and I think it’s going to be one of those great moments when you step on the floor and just trust your body of work over the previous four months.”
It’s a four-month stretch that saw Karius bring home Horizon League coach of the year and senior Jenna Guyer win conference player of the year. The Phoenix even started the season with a 15-0 record against Horizon League opponents.
The hope is that the level of success carries into March as Green Bay eyes its first NCAA tournament win since 2012.
“We talk a lot about the Green Bay way here, so I think the standard here is so high,” said UWGB athletic director Josh Moon. “The belief, especially for the new players, is they want to come to a championship program; this is the best mid-major program in the country, and (being in the tournament) is an expectation… they’ve accomplished their goals, but now they want to win some games in the NCAA tournament.”
Venezuela beats US 3-2 on Suárez’s 9th-inning double to win first World Baseball Classic title
To provide some extra motivation for the team, Moon enlisted the help of one of his good friends, Eddie Boyce, to give the Phoenix an extra push before they left for Minnesota.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love surprised the team at the end of practice, giving them advice and words of wisdom, and even catching up with head coach Kayla Karius afterward.
“Jordan is just an amazing, humble leader and a perfect fit for Green Bay,” said Moon. “Awesome to have him here to give them some good words about getting them ready for this game and having that mental preparation to go out and believe they can win the game.”
“Thankfully, we were all wrapped up (at practice) because I think the focus level would’ve dropped off; they were pretty surprised when he walked into the gym,” said Karius. “It was really cool to hear his message, he talked about when he was with the Packers (in his first year as a starter), and they were playing at Dallas (in the Wild Card round), and the challenges that are presented to you as an athlete and understanding how to move past adversity and just reminding us to have fun.”
Thirteen-seed Green Bay opens tournament play on Friday against four-seed Minnesota, a rematch of the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2018.
