UW-Green Bay Phoenix heading to Indy with 1st conference tournament win in 5 years

Led by junior forward Marcus Hall's 19 points, the Phoenix defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 64-56 to advance to the Horizon League Tournament

Mar. 4, 2026 at 3:19am

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The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team is headed to the Horizon League Tournament in Indianapolis after defeating Purdue Fort Wayne 64-56. Junior forward Marcus Hall scored 19 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc, to lead the Phoenix to their first conference tournament win in five years. Head coach Doug Gottlieb, who took over the team last season, was emotional on the mic as he thanked fans for their support during a turnaround season that has seen the team improve from just 4 wins to 18 wins so far.

Why it matters

The Phoenix men's basketball team's turnaround season and first conference tournament win in five years is a major accomplishment, especially considering they were among the most laughed at teams in the country just 12 months ago. This represents a significant step forward for the program under new head coach Doug Gottlieb.

The details

Led by junior forward Marcus Hall's 19 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc, the Phoenix took down the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons 64-56 to advance to the Horizon League Tournament in Indianapolis. Senior guard Preston Ruedinger added 11 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists in 37 minutes, making all but one of his shot attempts.

  • The Phoenix defeated Purdue Fort Wayne on March 4, 2026 to advance to the Horizon League Tournament.

The players

Marcus Hall

A junior forward for the UW-Green Bay Phoenix who scored 19 points, 12 of which came from 3-point range, to lead his team to victory.

Preston Ruedinger

A senior guard for the UW-Green Bay Phoenix who scored 11 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and dished out 8 assists in 37 minutes of play.

Doug Gottlieb

The head coach of the UW-Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team, who was emotional on the mic as he thanked fans for their support during the team's turnaround season.

Josh Moon

The athletic director at UW-Green Bay who talked about hiring Doug Gottlieb, which was heavily criticized at the time, but has now paid off with the team's success.

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What they’re saying

“Doug's a guy who hasn't failed in his professional career; he's got that tenacious spirit and work ethic that he's going to get it done. His maturation this last year is unbelievable. We're so happy with the progress he's made in year two.”

— Josh Moon, Athletic Director

What’s next

The Phoenix will now head to Indianapolis to compete in the Horizon League Tournament.

The takeaway

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team's remarkable turnaround season, going from just 4 wins to 18 wins so far, and their first conference tournament win in 5 years, represents a major accomplishment for the program under new head coach Doug Gottlieb. This success has silenced the critics who doubted Gottlieb's hiring and shows the team's potential going forward.