One of the few bright spots during a rebuilding season for the Green Bay Phoenix mens basketball program has been the emergence of legitimate three point shooting.

That was certainly on display Thursday night in Auburn Hills, Michigan when the Phoenix connected on a program-record 15 three pointers en route to a 96-90 win over Oakland to earn a season sweep of the Golden Grizzlies.

Green Bay made 15 of their 26 attempts (57.7%) led by 4 of 6 by junior Sandy Cohen who scored a career high 36 points in the victory. The previous school record was 14 set five different times, most recently back on January 12^th of last year in a 78-61 victory over Wright State at the Resch Center.

But despite that one game last season against the Raiders, three point shooting has not been a strong suit for Green Bay during the Linc Darner era. The Phoenix shot a respectable 34.9% from beyond the arc in Darner’s first season as head coach but ranked a dismal 297^th of 351 Division I teams last season in three point shooting at 32.2%.

Photo via Green Bay Athletics

During conference play this year Green Bay has made more three pointers than any other Horizon League team and is knocking down 36.7% of its three point attempts, good for third in the league.

Additionally, Thursday night was the 12^th game this season that Green Bay has hit at least 10 three pointers in a game against a Division I opponent. That happened only twice last season and only 7 times total in 2015-2016. Green Bay is 5-7 in games against Division I opponents in which it hits at least 10 three pointers this season.

The Phoenix faced the top four teams in the league for four straight games with three of those games coming on the road.  Green Bay went 1-3 during that stretch but were in every game thanks in large part to their three point shooting.

The Phoenix have shot just 40.9% from the floor overall and only 65.8% from the free throw line during the four game stretch but have connected on 44.7% of their three pointers. Green Bay has hit at least 11 three pointers in all four of those games which also helps to mask the massive -13.8 rebounding margin during the recent stretch.

Green Bay has eight players shooting at least 35% from beyond the arc this season led by senior Khalil Small at 39.5% and freshman Hunter Crist at 38.6%.