GAME ONE || Sunday, November 11, 2012 || 1:00 PM
Fayette, IA || Dorman Gym
William Jewel College at Upper Iowa University
UIU Game Notes | WJC Game Notes | NSIC Release
Live Options:
Live Stats || Live Video || Live Audio
This Week in Upper Iowa Men's Basketball... the Peacocks will begin their 97th season in program history as they host William Jewel College at Dorman Gym. UIU opened this 2012 season on the road as the Peacocks faced Division I foe Bradley University back on October 29th. The Peacocks trailed by only three points at the half, but lost momentum late, ultimately falling, 68-54. In UIU’s second and final exhibition game, the Peacocks traveled to Southern Illinois to face the Salukis. Down by one with only 4:31 left, guard Joey Woods found Michael Lafrenz inside the paint and the redshirt-senior gave UIU a 56-55 lead with a layup. The lead would not hold, though, as the Salukis’ defense tightened and SIU went on a 18-6 run to close out the 73-62 victory.
Dolan Knows This Opponent Well... Peacock coach Brian Dolan, who is entering his seven season at the helm of the men’s program, will face a familiar opponent this week - his old coach Larry Holley. Dolan played for the Cardinal program back in 1994, but was injured in his freshman year. He immediately switched from player to coach and found his passion. He spent three years at WJC assistant coaching the women’s junior varsity program before graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Administration for Collegiate Athletics in 1998.
Playing Against a Legend... More needs to be said of Holley. A 1967 graduate himself, Holley returned to his alma mater and guided eleven Cardinal squads to HAAC Regular Season Conference Titles, fourteen teams to the NAIA National Tournament, while four of those reached the Final Four and three reaching the Elite Eight. Holley is entering his 34th season at William Jewel and has already been inducted into five hall of fames (the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the William Jewell College Athletic Hall of Fame, the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame). He is the owner of 14 coach of the year awards and has 831 career victories.
Leading the Cardinals... WJC lost its top three leading scorers from 2011-12 to graduation. Forward Craig Mattson was fourth in scoring last year with 7.7 ppg and 3.5 rpg, while starting all 26 games at power forward for the Cardinals. The senior will try to pick up the slack this year as he tries to replace three seniors who scored in double-figures in 2011 for WJC.
Adding to the Trophy Rack... Senior center Tucker Wentzien earned Second-Team All-NSIC recognition last season for his work on the court. The Solon, Iowa native lead the team in scoring with 13.7 ppg and rebounding with 7.3 rpg. He scored in double figures 19 times, while topping 20 points three times. Wentzien had a career-high 26 points at Bemidji State on Feb. 24 and collected a career-high 14 rebounds at MSU Moorhead on Jan. 13. He also registered four double-doubles during the 2011 campaign. Wentzien was named as an 2012 NSIC Player to Watch this season and UIU will be counting on him again to deliver big numbers this season.
Seven Seniors Leave Their Legacy... Tucker Wentzien, Jake Hughes, Sam Elgin, Joey Woods, Cedric Collins, Michael Lafrenz and Jake Shonka enter their final year in the Peacock blue. Together, this group averaged 52.5 points per game, or 75 percent of the team’s total points last season. These seniors will again be counted on to lead the Peacocks in a very competitive NSIC-South conference.
Preseason Poll... The Peacocks were picked by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference to finish twelfth in the sixteen-team league's preseason poll released in mid-October. Winona State was selected as the 2012-13 NSIC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ overall favorite and in the NSIC-South Division poll. They received 219 points and ten first place votes. Defending NSIC/Sanford Health Men’s Basketball Tournament Champions of Southwest Minnesota State came in second with 209 points and four first place votes. Minnesota State was third with 185; St. Cloud State was fourth with 174 and MSU Moorhead fifth with 170 points and a first place vote. Augustana was sixth with 155 points and a first place vote. MSU Moorhead was the coaches pick in the NSIC North Division as they amassed 46 points and five first place votes. NSIC coaches rank each team from 1 to 15 with a first place vote receiving 15 points, second place 14, third place 13, etc. Coaches do not rank their own team or vote for their own players.Click here to view the release.
Scheduling... After facing WJC, UIU's non-conference schedule continues with a game in Kirksville, Mo. against Truman State on November 14th. Their final two non-conference contests will be against Northwest Missouri State University and the University if Central Missouri as part of the Northwest Missouri State Classic in Maryville, Missouri on November 24th and 25th. Click here to view the full scheudle.
Tune In... Don't forget to click on the live option links above to follow all the of the Peacock action live! Steven Wilson and Cooper Widenthaler are scheduled to bring you the sounds of the game through Stretch Media. The Peacock Pregame show with head coach Brian Dolan is set to begin 15 minutes before the jump ball. Gametime is set for 1 p.m.
