Cancelled tournament allows Phoenix men to add NMU as season opener

Due to the unexpected cancellation of the HBCU Tip-Off Championship at Atlanta, the Green Bay men’s basketball team has been forced to change its early season schedule. The Phoenix will now open the season at home, hosting Division II Northern Michigan at 1 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 9) at the Kress Events Center. It’s a free bonus game for existing ticketholders and a nice deal ($5 and $3) for single-game fans. All ticket package purchasers will receive a complimentary ticket to the game against Northern Michigan. Tickets will be available beginning Friday and can be purchased at all Ticket Star locations, on TicketStarOnline.com or by calling 1-800-895-0071. All tickets will be general admission with adults tickets sold for $5 and youth tickets for $3.

***     ***     ***     ***     ***

With cancellation, Phoenix loses two D-1 games – With Friday’s 11th hour announcement by JumpBall LLC, promoters of what was to be the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Tip-Off Championship event in Atlanta, Green Bay Athletics had to act fast to salvage at least one game (NMU at home) for the weekend. The Phoenix was slated to play Division I Arkansas Pine Bluff and Texas Southern. Two weeks before the event, organizers conceded they didn’t have the sponsorships to make it go. The tournament was billed as a “spectacular and historic event (that) will showcase the rich history and contributions of the HBCU culture. It will also provide a platform for alumni, friends and supporters of HBCU’s to come together to address social, health and economic issues, fostering innovative solutions and leading to the development of creative opportunities.” Green Bay was the only non-HBCU program in the field, which also included four D-II programs.