CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Preston Ruedinger scored 23 points and dished 10 assists to lead Green Bay to an 88-73 victory over Cleveland State in a Horizon League men’s basketball game Thursday night at Wolstein Center. The Phoenix trailed 40-37 at halftime but dominated the second half, outscoring the Vikings 51-33. Marcus Hall added 21 points for Green Bay, which improved to 11-7. Dayan Nessah led Cleveland State with 16 points as the Vikings fell to 5-14 before a crowd of 2,012. Green Bay, which was a 2.5-point favorite, overcame a pregame projection that gave the host Vikings a 69.4% probability to win. The total score went over a 149-point over/under line.

CLEVELAND, Ohio (Interstat) — In a game that defied pregame projections and turned on a dominant second-half performance, the Green Bay Phoenix pulled away from the Cleveland State Vikings for an 88-73 victory in Horizon League men’s basketball action Thursday night at Wolstein Center. Despite being installed as a slight road favorite, Green Bay entered the contest with only a 30.6 percent win probability according to National Statistical’s ELO system. The Phoenix, however, authored a decisive rebuttal, particularly after halftime, to improve to 11-7 overall. Cleveland State fell to 5-14. The most important part of the game was Green Bay’s transformative offensive efficiency in the second half, fueled by the playmaking of guard Preston Ruedinger. After trailing 40-37 at intermission, the Phoenix erupted for 51 points on a scorching shooting display. Green Bay connected on 15 of 30 attempts from 3-point range for the game and shot 58 percent from the floor overall, translating to an elite offensive rating of 146.5 points per 100 possessions. Ruedinger, a 6-foot-2 guard from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was the catalyst. He finished with 23 points and 10 assists, orchestrating the offense and repeatedly finding open shooters as the Phoenix dismantled the Vikings’ defense. His backcourt mate, Marcus Hall of Schofield, Wisconsin, provided a game-high 21 points, including five 3-pointers. The duo combined for 44 points and 11 assists. Cleveland State, which led for much of the first half behind early efforts from Dayan Nessah and Tre Beard, could not sustain its momentum. The Vikings shot a respectable 48.9 percent from the field but were hampered by 9 turnovers and a defense that allowed Green Bay to score on nearly every possession down the stretch. Nessah, a 6-foot-7 forward from Geneva, Switzerland, led Cleveland State with 16 points, 4 assists and a block. Beard, a guard from Chillicothe, Ohio, added 18 points. The game’s pivotal sequence began early in the second half. With Green Bay leading 45-43, the Phoenix embarked on a 17-4 run over a five-minute span. The surge featured a barrage of 3-pointers, including two from Hall and one from Caden Wilkins, with Ruedinger assisting on four of the baskets during the stretch. That pushed the lead to 62-47 with 14:21 remaining, and Cleveland State never got the deficit back to single digits. Green Bay’s offensive balance was evident as four players scored in double figures. Alongside Ruedinger and Hall, C.J. O’Hara of Minneapolis contributed 16 points and Justin Allen of Mount Kisco, New York, added 13. The Phoenix also excelled at the free-throw line, making 15 of 17 attempts. Cleveland State received 10 points from Preist Ryan of Pittsburgh, but the Vikings’ offense, which posted a 118.9 offensive rating, could not keep pace with Green Bay’s torrid scoring. The announced attendance was 2,012. The victory extends Green Bay’s winning streak to four games as they continue a strong start to Horizon League play. The Phoenix will host Oakland on Sunday. Cleveland State, which has lost four straight, will look to rebound at home against Youngstown State on Saturday. The total points of 161 sailed over the pregame over/under line of 149, a direct result of Green Bay’s explosive and efficient offensive performance, particularly in the game’s final 20 minutes.

Hot Green Bay Visits Struggling Cleveland State in Horizon League Clash CLEVELAND (Interstat) — The surging Green Bay Phoenix will look to extend their winning streak against a Cleveland State Vikings squad seeking to halt a skid when the Horizon League foes meet Thursday night at Wolstein Center. Green Bay (10-7, 4-1 Horizon) has won four consecutive games, including a tight 80-78 victory over Northern Kentucky on Sunday. The Phoenix are powered by guard Justin Allen, who erupted for 27 points in that win. Over his last four contests, Allen is averaging 23.8 points, showcasing his role as the team’s offensive catalyst. Support comes from Marcus Hall, who nearly posted a triple-double Sunday with 13 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Cleveland State (5-13, 1-4) has lost three straight, most recently a 94-84 defeat at Detroit. The Vikings have relied on the scoring of guard Jaidon Lipscomb, who dropped a season-high 30 points in that loss. Lipscomb has averaged 19.2 points over his last five games, but Cleveland State has struggled defensively, allowing 90.3 points per game during its three-game losing streak. The matchup pits one of the league’s hottest teams against one of its most vulnerable. Green Bay’s current run includes road wins at Purdue Fort Wayne and a perfect 3-0 homestand. Cleveland State, meanwhile, is just 1-5 at home this season, with the lone victory coming against non-conference opponent Oakland City. This game opens a critical two-game Ohio swing for Green Bay, which visits Youngstown State next. Cleveland State continues a tough stretch, hosting Youngstown State on Saturday. The teams will meet again in Green Bay on Jan. 30. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST Thursday at the Wolstein Center.