Jan. 23, 2009

Final Stats

The Peacock women's basketball team took the floor in Dorman Gym against the visiting Golden Eagles of the University of Minnesota, Crookston on Friday evening. Upper Iowa entered the game two spots behind Minnesota, Crookston in the Northern Sun Conference Standings. UIU matched the hot shooting of UMC over the first eighteen minutes of the game, but the Golden Eagles used a 6-0 run in the final two minutes to take an eleven-point halftime lead. The defenses ruled play in the second half as each offense struggled until the final few minutes of the game. In the end, Upper Iowa's inability to convert at the free throw line was their downfall. Minnesota, Crookston took the win, 60-54, and improved to 8-9 overall and 4-6 in the Northern Sun, while Upper Iowa fell to 5-13 overall and 1-10 in the NSIC.

The Golden Eagles came out and took an early 7-2 lead, but the Peacocks quickly found their stride and took a 10-9 lead five minutes into the action. A 7-0 UMC run that took three minutes off the game clock put some distance between the teams, but UIU was able to gather their breath and play evenly with their guests until the final two minutes of the half. Four of Minnesota, Crookston's final six points came at the charity stripe. The Golden Eagles were 8 for 8 at the free throw line, while the Peacocks struggled with their free opportunities hitting just 3 of 13 at the line. UIU headed to the locker room trailing 32-21.

The defenses took over in the second half as each team struggled to score with any regularity. With six minutes to play in the game, Upper Iowa was outscoring Minnesota, Crookston 16-15. The Golden Eagles took a 47-37 lead into the final six minutes. The Peacocks found their groove in the paint as Lynsday Westgaard hit back-to-back buckets to cut the deficit to just six points, 47-41. Three Golden Eagle baskets gave allowed the visitors to reclaim an eleven point lead, 54-43. The three makes included a three-pointer and were sandwiched around an acrobatic drive by Lana Otting. Westgaard hit a lay up and was fouled with 2:52 to play. After another defensive stop, Britney Iredale hit on a lay in to cut the lead to seven, 54-47. A Westgaard free throw cut the gap to six, 54-46, with 1:35 to play.

After a timeout, the Peacocks set up in full court pressure looking to force UMC into a turnover. The gamble worked but UIU could not control the ball and the Golden Eagles cashed in on an old-fashioned three-point play. Paige DeVine scored a driving lay up to keep the home team close, 57-50. Westgaard returned to the charity stripe for a pair and calmly knocked them both down to pull UIU within five, 57-52, with 29 seconds to play. Three UMC free throws pushed the lead back to eight, 60-52, but UIU's Lyndsay Westgaard would hit the final bucket to end the game. The Peacocks fell short of the Golden Eagles 60-54.

Upper Iowa made one more field goal from the floor than Minnesota, Crookston did, but the difference in the game came at the three point line and the free throw line. The Golden Eagles made five more trifectas and five more free throws in ten less opportunities than the Peacocks.

Westgaard led the Peacocks with a double-double; 23 points and 10 rebounds. Iredale scored 9 and led UIU in rebounds with 17. Chelsea Arndt and DeVine pulled down 8 and 7 rebounds, respectively. Otting and Iredale handed out 6 assists apiece.

The Peacocks will return to Prochaska Court tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. to host the #18 Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead.