Game Notes - Upper Iowa || Northwest Missouri State || Fort Hays State
LIVE OPTION LINKS
Game # 1
Saturday || Nov. 9
vs. Northwest Missouri State University - Live Stats || Live Video
Marshall, Minn. || R/A Facility at SMSU || 7 p.m.
THIS WEEK IN MEN'S BASKETBALL... Under a new regime and with a new look, the Peacocks will kick off the 2013-14 season this weekend as they partake in the SMSU Mustang Tournament. On Saturday, the Peacocks will take on the 18th-ranked Bearcats of Northwest Missouri State at 3 p.m. before entertaining the Tigers of Fort Hays State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
ROOKIES AND RETURNERS... The Peacocks will have a new look come 2013 and it's not just because of the new coaching staff. Returners Joey Woods, Bo Pagel, David Smith and Grant Lang will be the first to take the spotlight as upperclassmen that played quality minutes a season ago. UIU will also lean on Jordan Hay, Logan Johnson, Trevor Hook, Kierre Ogbonna, and Connor Schabel, who all spent time on the floor as well. Yet after graduating six players from last year's team, the Peacocks will also lean on a bright-eyed class of freshmen including CJ Mason, Jimmy Roth, Luke Lenhart, Jace Hanna, Josh Weeber, Austin Mecca and Henrique Donati to carry some of the load.
PASSED OVER PEACOCKS... Much like last year, when the team was picked in the 2012 preseason to finish tied for 12th in the conference and seventh in the south division, the Peacocks were passed over again in 2013. Upper Iowa was picked 14th in the overall preseason poll and 7th (tied with Wayne State College) in the NSIC South poll.
LEADING THE BEARCATS... The Bearcats went 21-10 last season, falling in the MIAA Tournament title game. They are led by Dillon Starzl who averaged 13.7 ppg last season. The team is coach by Ben McCollum who enters his fifth year at the helm of the Bearcat program.
LEADING THE TIGERS... FHSU is coming off its first MIAA Regular Season Championship in 2012-13. The Tigers return two All-MIAA players from a year ago in Dwayne Brunson and Craig Nicholson. The Tigers are coached by 13th-year man Mark Johnson.
PRESEASON STATS... UIU - which finished the preseason with a 1-1 record – is averaging 89 points per game this year led by returners Grant Lang (13 ppg), Bo Pagel (12.5 ppg) and Joey Woods (12 ppg). The Peacocks are coming off their best season since moving up to the NCAA Division II level and joining the NSIC prior to the 2006-07 season. UIU posted a record of 20-12 this past year which included the team's first trip to the NCAA DII Central Regional Tournament. UIU will return 15 players from that team, including two starters and four more players who saw significant minutes on the court.
FOLLOW ALONG FROM HOME... Catch all of the action live with the above video and stat links provided by Southwest Minnesota State University and the Mustang Athletic Department. You can also listen live to the Fort Hays State broadcast on Sunday by
clicking here.
