Box Score The Peacocks dominated the glass claiming a 12-rebound advantage en route to their first NSIC victory of the season, 80-59, over the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University. Upper Iowa improved to 4-10 overall and 1-6 in the NSIC with the win, while SMSU dropped to 1-11 overall and 0-7 in the conference.
The Peacocks raced out to an 18-4 lead just over seven minutes into the game. The hot start was fueled by scores off the hands of six different players and was capped off by a
Sam Thrapp three-pointer. Over the next nine minutes, the Mustangs began to climb back into the game. SMSU cut the deficit to one, 27-26, with four minutes to play in the half after outscoring the home team 23-8. UIU answered the bell with an 8-0 run highlighted by a three-pointer from
Lindsay Carroll and a three-point play by
Whitney Kieffer.
Carly Pagel scored four points in the final two minutes as UIU claimed a nine-point lead at the break, 39-30.
Upper Iowa continued to put on the heat in the second half. The Peacocks pushed their lead into double digits and kept it there for all but two of the final twenty minutes. Pagel scored five straight points for the home team to give UIU a 65-49 lead with just over seven minutes to play. Upper Iowa was able to push the margin over twenty in the final minutes claiming their largest lead (21) on two occassions including the final margin.
The home team didn't shoot well from the floor, but took advantage of 33 free throw opportunities hitting 26 of them (78.8%) and made the most of their time with the ball. UIU turned the ball over a season-low 10 times.
Pagel led the team in scoring with 19 points, while Kieffer added 18; both players took advantage of their time on the charity stripe nailing 9 and 8, respectively. Thrapp scored 13 points, while Carroll netted 10 points and
Lauren Buck added 9 points. Thrapp and Kieffer each handed out 4 assists, while Kieffer grabbed 3 steals and Buck tallied two blocks and two steals. Kieffer pulled down a team-high 9 rebounds, while Buck grabbed 7 boards.
The Peacocks will head out on their longest NSIC road trip of the season next weekend. Upper Iowa will travel to Minot State University in Minot, N.D. on Friday, Jan. 11, and then come back to the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. on Saturday, Jan. 12.
