The Green Bay Phoenix have games against their in-state rival this week, but the men opened Horizon League play on Wednesday with a 75-71 loss to Purdue-Fort Wayne.
The Mastodons entered the game as one of the league's hottest teams from the field, scoring over 100 points twice in their seven games this season. The Phoenix defense did what it could, limiting the Mastodons to 45 percent from the field. The two teams rarely exchanged leads in the first half with the Mastodons as the Phoenix trailed at the half 36-32. The Phoenix offense started to click more in the second half, allowing them to take the lead from the Mastodons several times. They could never extend their advantage by just a few buckets, allowing the Mastodons to slip past them in the final minutes.
Noah Reynolds led the Phoenix with 16 points, while Clarence Cummings III scored 12 points in his season debut. Junior Elijah Moore added 11 points in the loss. The Phoenix men return home to the Resch Center for their tilt against UW-Milwaukee on Saturday at 6 p.m.
The Phoenix women only have to wait until tonight (Thursday) for their matchup against the Panthers. They are coming off a 2-1 visit south of the border at the Cancun Challenge, picking up their second win against a ranked opponent this season when they toppled Washington State on getaway day. The Panthers have rebounded after a 0-3 start, winning four straight games. Thursday's Horizon League opener marks the 100th meeting between the two squads. The Phoenix and Panthers will play each other at the Klotsche Center in Milwaukee at 7 p.m.
