The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay made its first eight shots and never looked back as it defeated the Youngstown State women's basketball team 84-45 on Thursday to clinch at least a share of its 12th straight conference championship.
Green Bay had buckets on its first six possessions and took a 14-0 lead when Heather Golden hit a 3-pointer with 16:48 remaining. The Phoenix started 8-for-8 from the field and didn't miss a shot in the first five-and-a-half minutes until Kayla Tetschlag missed a triple from the left wing.
The Penguins kept things within arms reach and trailed 23-11 when Kaitlyn March hit a jumper with 11:12 remaining. YSU, though, did not make another field goal until Rachael Manuel's jumper with 1:42 left. By that time, Green Bay was ahead 42-13. The Phoenix led 50-15 at halftime.
Brandi Brown led YSU with 12 points, Maryum Jenkins had 10, and Bojana Dimitrov scored all nine of her points in the second half.
Ten out of 11 Phoenix players who came in scored, and four reached double figures. Golden scored a game-high 15 points, Sarah Eichler scored a career-high 14, and Morgan Faase had a career-high 13 points.
Green Bay outscored YSU just 34-30 in the second half as the Penguins shot 53.3 percent in the period. YSU also got to the free throw line 22 times and made 13 of those attempts. Green Bay shot 54 percent overall and 42.4 percent in the second half as substitutes played most of the final 15 minutes.
The Penguins were outscored 31-8 off of their 26 turnovers and 14-0 in fast-break points.
Green Bay was 20-for-30 shooting in the first half and held a 19-9 advantage in rebounding. YSU was 6-for-22 from the field and committed 15 turnovers. Three Phoenix players scored in double figures in the first 20 minutes, led by 12 points apiece from Golden and Eichler.
Brown scored all six of her first-half points in less than a two-minute span between 13:45 and 11:54.
Youngstown State will head south to face Milwaukee on Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern.
COURTESY: YSU SPORTS INFORMATION
