The Peacocks had five players score double figures in their opening game of the Quincy Tipoff Classic, but turnovers kept the Peacocks from picking up their first win of the season. Upper Iowa shot 40% from the floor and from behind the three-point line, but 22 turnovers limited the Peacocks’ offensive opportunities. A 17-6 run in the early minutes of the second half proved to be too much for Upper Iowa to overcome as Quincy won the game 78-66.
After playing evenly through the midpoint of the first half, the Hawks and Peacocks were tied 22-22 with just under six minutes to play. After Quincy jumped out to a 27-22 lead, Upper Iowa went on a 10-2 run that was capped off by a Heidi McKean layup. UIU’s three point advantage did not last long though. Over the final two minutes, the Hawks outscored the Peacocks 5-0 to take a 37-32 lead into the break.
Lyndsay Westgaard hit the opening bucket of the second half to close the gap to 37-34 in the first minute of action, but then the Hawks went on their aforementioned 17-6 run. The Peacocks tried to climb back into the game when Chelsea Garcia hit a three-pointer with 8:52 to play that cut the margin to six, 58-52. Upper Iowa would not get any closer as the Hawks posted a 78-66 victory.
Heidi McKean led the Peacocks with the team’s first double-double of the season. McKean scored 13 points and pulled down 10 boards. Cassandra Deiters hit a team-high 14 points on 7 of 11 shooting and added 4 rebounds and 4 blocks. Lana Otting scored 12, while Westgaard and Chelsea Garcia both chipped in 10 and 11, respectively. Otting added 8 rebounds and 3 assists, while Westgaard gathered 5 balls off the glass. Jeri Jacobson scored 3 and added 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
The Peacocks will play against the Griffons of Missouri Western tomorrow afternoon in the tournament’s consolation match up. MWSU lost to Northern Michigan in this evening’s other semifinal game. The consolation match up will tip at 3 p.m.
