As of Dec. 19, 2024, the UW-Green Bay men’s basketball team has a 2-11 record and is currently in the middle of a seven-game losing streak. Green Bay’s most recent game was a 70 – 72 home loss to the Division II Michigan Tech Huskies, and the team has yet to win a game in December. To dive deeper into the Phoenix’s disappointing start, they are 1-5 at home, 1-6 on the road, and 0-3 in conference play.
While the record and results are disappointing, it is early in the season with lots of basketball left to play. The program is currently led by first-year head coach Doug Gottlieb and his coaching staff, who took over after Sundance Wicks’ abrupt departure from UW-Green Bay. A program going through a coaching change will experience roster turnover due to transfers and recruits.
Out of 17 players on the roster, five are returning from last season: Redshirt junior Foster Wonders, Redshirt junior Preston Ruedinger, sophomore Marcus Hall, Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Miranda, and senior Anthony Roy.
Offensive and Defensive Scoring and Stats
In terms of offensive scoring, the Phoenix are averaging 72.4 points per game with decent percentages of 33% from the three-point line and 44% overall. This offensive production is led by scoring guard Senior Anthony Roy, who is averaging 25.7 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 50% shooting from the field and 43% from the three-point line.
While the Phoenix are a capable scoring offense, the problem lies in their high turnover rates. Per game, the Phoenix are averaging 13.2 turnovers compared to 13.1 assists, which equates to a -2.0 turnover difference. The team is also giving up 10.7 a game off of turnovers.
Defensively, Green Bay is struggling, with opponents averaging 82.3 points per game on 47% shooting from the field and 37% from beyond the arc. During the seven-game losing streak before the Michigan Tech game, five of their seven losses had been by double-digit points, with an average loss margin of 17.8 points.
One notable exception is Green Bay’s 69-102 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are currently 6-4 and competing in a loaded Big 10 conference. Removing the Ohio State game reduces the loss margin in that seven-game stretch to 15.3 points.
Phoenix Rise for Rebounds
Rebounding is a vital element of basketball, as it involves the skill of retrieving the ball after a missed shot. Successful rebounding provides additional scoring opportunities while preventing the opposing team from gaining possession. Strong rebounding often determines the momentum and outcome of a game.
Green Bay’s 2-11 start can be largely attributed to the rebounding numbers. In terms of per-game rebounding stats, the Phoenix are averaging 29.8 rebounds per game while allowing 38.8 per game, resulting in a -9.1 rebounding margin.
The Phoenix are averaging 5.4 offensive rebounds per game while giving up 12.8 offensive rebounds to the opponent. This disparity in offensive rebounding numbers partly explains the -8.4 margin in field goals attempted per game. Green Bay averages 54.9 field goal attempts per game, while opponents are attempting 63.3 field goal attempts. For a two-point field goal, opponents are averaging 36.7 attempts compared to Green Bay’s 26.8 attempts, which can be attributed to the rebounding deficit.
The Phoenix Roster has four players who are listed as 6’8 or taller. #7 6’8 Sophomore Forward Donovan Santoro, #31 6’10 Freshman Forward/Center Roee Oselka, #77 6’10 Junior Center Mouhamadou Cissé and #14 6’10 Redshirt Sophomore Center Isaiah Miranda.
Out of these four players, only two of them are averaging five or more minutes, with Isaiah Miranda and Roee Oselka averaging 8.9 and 7.5 minutes, respectively. Santoro is averaging 3.5 minutes per game, while Cisse’ has yet to notch a minute.
The Phoenix’s rebounding deficit can certainly be attributed to the rotation; the taller players aren’t on the court as often as they should be. In addition, boxing-out techniques and physical toughness are also to blame.
The Tale of Two Halves
Scoring statistics reveal a sharp difference between first- and second-half performances. Green Bay averages 34.5 points in the first half while conceding 36.4, remaining competitive. However, in the second half, Green Bay scores an average of 37.8 points while allowing 45.8, resulting in a -8 scoring margin.
In their most recent game, Green Bay led 33-23 at the end of the first half and 38-25 at one point. However, the Huskies rallied, outsourcing the Phoenix 49-37 in the second half. This game greatly encapsulates the season, as the Phoenix could not keep the flame going in what was a close 72-70 loss.
Talk with Student Fans
Fan perspectives are integral to sports as they fuel the atmosphere and rally the team with their support. Fans play a crucial role in shaping the sports experience, both for the athletes and the broader community. Their energy can electrify a stadium, uplift a struggling team, and even influence the momentum of a game. Beyond the action on the court or field, fans foster a sense of unity, identity, and tradition that extends far beyond the final whistle.
However, supporting college sports as a student can be challenging due to the demands of balancing academics, work, and other responsibilities, especially during a tough season.
Three UWGB students shared their thoughts on the Phoenix’s start: Ambassador and Student Government President Karime Galaviz, Carter Jacobson, and Jimmy Jacques.
When asked how they felt about the team’s 2-11 start, President Galaviz said, “I think I feel a little disheartened at the current record.”
Jacobson had similar thoughts on the matter, replying, “It’s rough, to say the least. We clearly know talent, but it’s being misused. I watched losing records for men’s basketball all of high school. I figured with a school of this reputation. They would at least break 500.”
Jacques said, “As a student at UWGB, I feel a little disappointed at the slow start to the season considering the great season the team was able to put together last year. However, I understand that with an entirely new coaching staff and lots of new players, it may take some time to get things figured out.”
As mentioned earlier, the team is currently on an eight-game losing team, and fans can only speculate on the factors contributing to such a stretch of basketball for a decent team.
On the subject matter, Galaviz stated, “I think there seems to be a lack of communication on the team, and you can really see this when they are playing, which is again a little disheartening.”
Jacobson said, “There was a mixture of mismanaged minutes as well as just a lack of leadership in the team. They feel disorganized and sloppy too often.”
Jacques stated, “I think the losing streak comes down to not playing good enough on defense, not rebounding, and not having multiple guys that can consistently knock down threes.”
After 13 games, the team is a little over a third of the way through the season, leaving hope that they can establish an identity and improve their performance. Discussing optimism for the remainder of the season, Galaviz stated, “I am hopeful that they will find a solution, and I am still very much hopeful about the rest of the season. I think they can make a turnaround soon!”
Jacobson expressed tempered optimism, saying, “I am just hoping they can pull themselves together and break 500, but I doubt it if they can’t beat a D2 team.”
Jacques shared his outlook, saying, “I look forward to watching the rest of the season and hopefully seeing all of the guys and the team improve as a whole. We’ve got a lot of talent, with guys like Anthony Roy leading the country in scoring and Jeremiah Johnson being a top nationally ranked prospect.”
The discussion of fandom naturally delves into the attendance and home court atmosphere. Attendance and school spirit for athletic events has been a point of discussion, especially with the men’s basketball team, which plays their home games at the Resch Center across Green Bay, while the women’s team plays their home games at the Kress Center on campus.
All three interviewees have attended games this season and had a chance to gauge the experience. Galaviz said, “I have been to a couple of games this season. I have had great experiences overall, and I think that the program is doing its best to get more attendance at the games at this time. I do think if they offered transportation to the games for the students, that would help a lot.”
Jacobsen said, “I’ve been to a handful of games for every sport. For the men’s games, the atmosphere just isn’t there outside of the pep band. Granted, there isn’t much to cheer for. I just feel like there need to be alternative methods to get to games, and ten dollars for parking isn’t helping anything. There should be shuttling for something simple, granted the attendance issue is for all sports. I just think the diversity of the ages of the average student on top of the fact that there are 10k plus students, most of who are mostly online more than likely, but really, I just think they’re just not a sports fan atmosphere at a school of this range.”
Jacques said, “I’ve been to every home game this year and have had good experiences as my dad and I are able to sit pretty close to the court at every game. I think the Resch can solve the attendance issue by offering more opportunities to get students at the games, like when they brought.”
Getting students to attend basketball games, whether for the men’s or women’s teams, often requires a combination of strategies to build excitement, foster school spirit, and create a sense of community. Ultimately, getting students to attend games requires creating an environment where they feel connected to the team, the school, and the experience of the game itself. By combining fun, incentives, and school pride, schools can successfully increase student attendance at both men’s and women’s basketball games.
Conclusion
As the UW-Green Bay men’s basketball team continues to navigate the season, the road ahead is uncertain. However, with a new coaching staff, a roster full of talent, and committed student fans, there’s still ample opportunity for growth and improvement.
