ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (Interstat) — In a Horizon League men’s basketball game defined by a stunning reversal of momentum, the Green Bay Phoenix erased a 16-point halftime deficit to edge the Northern Kentucky Norse 80-78 on Sunday at the Resch Center.

The Phoenix, who improved to 10-7 overall, appeared headed for a blowout loss after a blistering first-half offensive display. Green Bay shot 64.5% from the field and made 7 of 11 three-point attempts before the break, racing to a 51-35 lead. Justin Allen of Mount Kisco, New York, spearheaded the charge, scoring 19 of his game-high 27 points in the opening period. The Norse, who fell to 12-6, struggled to contain the Phoenix’s efficient attack, which posted an offensive rating of 137.6 for the game.

The second half, however, was a different story. Northern Kentucky’s defense stiffened, and the Phoenix offense went cold. Green Bay managed only 29 points after halftime, shooting 34.6% from the field. Meanwhile, the Norse, led by a spectacular individual effort from guard Donovan Oday, methodically chipped away at the lead. The Arlington, Texas, native scored 23 of his 31 points in the second half, willing his team back into contention.

The most important sequence of the game came in the final minutes with the score tied. After Northern Kentucky’s LJ Wells, from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, tied the game at 78 with two free throws with just over two minutes remaining, Green Bay’s Preston Ruedinger of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, answered with a clutch jump shot at the 2:17 mark to put the Phoenix back ahead 80-78. Both teams then endured a tense series of empty possessions and missed opportunities.

Northern Kentucky had two critical chances to tie or take the lead in the final 33 seconds. First, with 21 seconds left, Wells was fouled and went to the line for two shots but missed both. The Norse retained possession on an offensive rebound, but a traveling violation on Kael Robinson gave the ball back to Green Bay with 16 seconds remaining. The Phoenix then turned it over on an inbound play, giving Northern Kentucky one final opportunity with 13 seconds on the clock.

The Norse worked the ball to Oday, whose driving layup attempt with five seconds left was off the mark. Wells secured the offensive rebound but his rushed put-back attempt as time expired was off target, sealing the dramatic comeback victory for Green Bay.

Beyond Allen’s 27 points and five rebounds, Green Bay received a well-rounded performance from Marcus Hall of Schofield, Wisconsin, who tallied 13 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Caden Wilkins of Bettendorf, Iowa, added 17 points, all in the first half. The Phoenix committed only seven turnovers and dished out 19 assists on 30 made field goals.

For Northern Kentucky, Oday’s 31-point outburst on 10-of-18 shooting was complemented by 13 points and seven rebounds from Wells. Ethan Elliott of Perth, Australia, contributed 11 points and a team-high seven assists. The Norse were efficient offensively with an offensive rating of 122.8 and committed a mere three turnovers, but their first-half defensive struggles proved too large a hole to completely escape.

The result defied the pregame projections, as Interstat’s ELO system had given Northern Kentucky a 72.7% probability to win. The Norse had also been installed as a 2.5-point favorite. The combined score of 158 points sailed over the over/under line of 146.5.

Green Bay next travels to face Cleveland State on Thursday. Northern Kentucky returns home to host Detroit Mercy on Thursday. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in Highland Heights, Kentucky, on Wednesday, Feb. 4.