Senior Jordan Fouse scored 16 points and Green Bay is returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996 after posting a 78-69 victory over Wright State on Tuesday in the Horizon League tournament championship game at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

Junior Charles Cooper added 15 points for the Phoenix, who will be making the fifth NCAA tourney appearance in school history. Junior Kenneth Lowe and senior Carrington Love had 12 points apiece for Green Bay (23-12), which has won eight of its last nine games.

Senior Michael Karena scored 14 points for the Raiders (22-13). Senior Joe Thomasson has 11 points and 13 rebounds for Wright State, which lost in the Horizon tournament title game for the third time in four seasons.

The Raiders trailed by double digits most of the second half and were within 10 points after a layup by senior guard Biggie Minnis with 11:39 remaining. But Love scored the next five points on a 3-pointer and tip-in to give Green Bay a 15-point lead, and Fouse added two free throws and Cooper slammed home a dunk to make it 60-41 with 9:41 to play.

Wright State made another run as sophomore Justin Mitchell scored back-to-back baskets to once again trim the Phoenix 's lead to 10 with 2:13 to go. Two 3-pointers by Thomasson cut the Raiders ' deficit to 76-69 with 14.5 seconds left before the run came up short.

Green Bay began to assert control with a 13-0 run to take a 17-6 advantage with 13:33 left in the first half. Fouse 's basket increased the Phoenix 's lead to 15 with 8:26 to play before Wright State got back into the game with a 12-2 burst to pull within five.

Green Bay finished strong by scoring 12 of the final 17 points to take a 42-30 lead into the break.