ISU set to face veteran Phoenix squad

Twelve.

That is Green Bay's seed coming into tonight's second-round NCAA Tournament game against No. 4 Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum.

Two hundred fifty-nine.

That would be the program's victory total for the decade of the 2000s, seventh-best nationally mixed in with the likes of Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma. The Cyclones (24-7) may have the home court advantage and an edge in size and skill, but won't be able to intimidate the Phoenix (28-4), the lowest remaining seed in the tournament and mid-major stalwarts for the last several years.

Tonight's game is scheduled for an 8:35 p.m. tip and will be televised on ESPN2.

“Iowa State is going to have to understand that we are going to come to compete and play hard,” Green Bay point guard Celeste Hoewisch said Monday, a day after downing No. 5 seed Virginia, 69-67.

Following his team's 79-42 easy win over No. 13 Lehigh late Sunday night, ISU Coach Bill Fennelly said he predicted Wisconsin-Green Bay's upset earlier in the day.

He's not wild about playing the Phoenix, regular season Horizon League champions for the past 12 seasons and NCAA veterans.

“Green Bay is one of those teams that has been good for a long, long time,” Fennelly said. “They are someone where you look in your bracket and go, ‘Ohhh, I don't want to play them.' They've had that reputation for a long time.”

ISU, who defeated No. 12 Ball State in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament, is after its second straight Sweet Sixteen and fifth in all under Fennelly.

Green Bay has never advanced that far and could become the first No. 12 seed to get there since San Francisco in 1996.

“Watching them (Sunday) night they looked good,” ISU center Anna Prins said. “It's definitely going to be a challenge. They are very scrappy and make the hustle plays.”

The 6-foot-7 freshman had a career night against Lehigh with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

All three of ISU's freshman posts – Prins, Chelsea Poppens and Amanda Zimmerman - looked good and combined for 46 points and 21 rebounds against the Mountain Hawks' small front-line. Expect more of the same tonight with Green Bay's tallest starter at 6-foot.

“They are going to front the post and do everything they can to make it hard to get the ball in there,” Fennelly said.

Offensively, the Phoenix have a lot of interchangeable parts.

They shoot 35.8 percent from 3-point range as a team and also can get to the free-throw line. Green Bay was 34 of 40 from the line against Virginia.

“They spread the court really well,” Prins said. “Their post players go shoot the three and drive. That will be a challenge ... Seeding doesn't matter. It's who wants it more.”

ISU point guard Alison Lacey returned to the lineup after missing the last three weeks with pneumonia.

She played 29 minutes, scoring seven points to go with seven assists.

“I woke up a little sore and felt it more than I had after practices,” Lacey said. “I'll be ready to go. I'll go the whole game if I have to.”

You couldn't blame Fennelly and ISU's players for being a little groggy.

Sunday night's game didn't tip off until 9:10 p.m. Fennelly didn't get to his office until midnight to start work on Green Bay.

“Thank God for Diet Mountain Dew and Red Bull,” he said. “But that's our job. If it doesn't go well Tuesday we can take a nap for a long time.”