© Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Green Bay basketball team is still competing in the Horizon League Tournament. It is still pushing for an invite to the Big Dance.
Purdue Fort Wayne is not. The Mastodons’ season officially ended with a loss to the Phoenix on Tuesday. The negative outcome produced an incredible display of sportsmanship between conference rivals.
Green Bay earned the five-seed in the tournament field after a 17-14 regular season. They faced off against sixth-seeded Purdue Fort Wayne in the opening round of postseason play.
The Phoenix dominated the first half, taking a 12-point lead into the break. The Mastodons would cut into the deficit but were unable to complete the comeback.
Green Bay won the game, 64-56. It will advance to play Northern Kentucky in the second round. One star player took a moment to console an opponent before celebrating with his own team.
Green Bay basketball star displays incredible sportsmanship.
Senior guard Preston Ruedinger is one of the most important pieces to the Phoenix’s success. The veteran leads the team in assists while averaging double figure scoring totals.
He tallied a game-high eight dimes against the Mastodons. Those came in addition to his five boards and 11 points.
That production helped guide the team to victory. As a result, his season and career will continue. The same cannot be said for his most recent opponent.
Ruedinger recognized the weight of the moment as the final seconds ticked from the clock. When the buzzer sounded, he walked over to hug a Purdue Fort Wayne player.
One moment that’ll go unnoticed in Green Bay’s tourney win:
After the biggest home win of Preston Ruedinger’s UWGB career, he didn’t celebrate first. He went straight to Appleton native Maximus Nelson — his friend on the opposing team — to embrace him as Nelson’s career ended. pic.twitter.com/rYodc8XjsI
— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) March 4, 2026
That player was Mastodons forward Maximus Nelson. The senior had played his final game.
Nelson and Ruedinger are both Wisconsin natives, growing up in towns separated by 20 miles. Ruedinger is from Oshkosh. Nelson is from Appleton.
The duo signed with Valparaiso after high school with Ruedinger being a ’21 recruit and Nelson a ’22 prospect.
Valpo head coach Matt Lottich was relieved of his duties after the 2022-23 season. Nelson and Ruedinger hit the portal to go their separate ways. Each happened to land in the Horizon League.
They faced off as rivals in Nelson’s final game. That did little to sever the former teammates’ friendship.
The act of sportsmanship demonstrated Preston Ruedinger’s character. Green Bay is happy to have him on its basketball team for reasons both on and off the court.
He’ll look to extend his college journey at least one game further as the Phoenix pursue a conference title.