Jan. 12, 2005
Contact: Brian McCann
GREEN BAY, Wis. - UW-Green Bay's outside shooting trumped a career high performance by Omari Westley as the Phoenix rallied from a 13-point first half deficit and then held on in the final minute to claim an 81-76 win over Cleveland State on Tuesday night.
Westley scored a career-high 38 points, the sixth-highest single game total in CSU history and tied for the most by a player in the Horizon League this season. He made 14-of-20 field goal attempts and nine-of-11 from the foul line in recording his second career 30-point game.
The performance by Westley was the highest scoring total by a Viking since Damon Stringer poured in 47 points at UW-MIlwaukee on Jan. 29, 2000 and tied UW-Milwaukee's Ed McCants, who scored 38 points against Detroit, for the top effort in the league this year.
But it was the three-point shooting of the Phoenix that proved to be the difference as UW-Green Bay tied a school record for three-pointers in a game, making 13-of-22 (.591). Matt Rohde and Javier Mendiburu made five three-pointers each, leading UW-Green Bay with 19 points each.
"Even though it is difficult to win on the road in the Horizon League, this game was there for the taking," head coach Mike Garland said. "We played very well for the first 15 minutes of each half but Green Bay elevated its level of play in the last couple minutes of each half and we couldn't answer.
"On one hand, I am happy that we stepped up and really challenged UW-Green Bay but I am disappointed that we let another opportunity slip by. The improvement that we have shown in just one week is a good sign that this team is learning how to play together and building confidence."
"Omari Westley continues to show why he is one of the top players in the league this year. We have done a great job over the last couple of games of getting the ball into his hands and then he takes over. Green Bay just couldn't handle him once he got his hands on the ball."
The Vikings stormed out of the gate as Westley scored three baskets as part of a 12-2 CSU run over the first 5:14 of the game. The lead would eventually grow to 29-16 with 9:35 left in the first half before the Phoenix came back.
Trailing 36-28 with 4:25 left, UW-Green Bay used three treys as part of a 15-2 run to take a 43-38 lead late in the half. A Raheem Moss three-pointer, his fourth of the first half, pulled CSU to within 43-41 at the break. Moss would finish with 14 points.
The second half featured six ties and four lead changes as both teams battled on every possession.
The Vikings led by as many as four in the second half, owning a 55-51 advantage with 14:37 left.
With the score tied at 60-60, Westley tipped in his own miss to give CSU a 62-60 lead with 9:55 left.
UW-Green Bay came right back as Rohde and Mendiburu made three-pointers as part of a 7-0 run to give the Phoenix the lead for good. The lead would grow to 76-68 with 3:11 left, but Cleveland State refused to quit. Westley would rattle off six straight points for CSU and when Moss connected on a jumper in the lane with 49 seconds left, the Vikings had pulled to within 77-75.
But Rohde and Ryan Evanochko combined to make four free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Green Bay (11-3, 4-0 Horizon League) improved to 8-0 at home this season while Cleveland State (4-8, 1-3) dropped to 0-7 on the road.
Cleveland State continues its current four-game road trip when it plays at Illinois-Chicago on Saturday, January 15 beginning at 7:05 CST.
