The Green Bay Phoenix women’s basketball team stayed with No. 3 UConn for most of the first half before the Lady Huskies pulled away for a 89-53 win in the Championship game of the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida.
The Phoenix (5-2) jumped out to a six-point lead in the game, thanks to a couple of three-pointers from Tesha Buck and Mehryn Kraker.
The score was tied 26-26 with just over four minutes remaining in the half, but that’s when the defending national champions flexed their muscle and went on a 13-2 run to close out the half. The would carry that momentum into the second half. After a Kaili Lukan basket for the Phoenix, the Huskies went on a 14-0 run to break the game open.
UConn outrebounded Green Bay by a final total of 42-26.
Kraker led Green Bay with 12 points and BUck added 10. Point guard Megan Lukan had six points, six rebounds and finishing with a game-high seven assists.
Kraker and Megan Lukan were named to the Gulf Coast Showcase All-Tournament Team, after leading the Phoenix to a second-place finish.
Green Bay returns home for just its second game at the Kress Center this season. The Phoenix will host Western Michigan on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m.