GAMES FOUR/FIVE || NOVEMBER 24/26, 2014 || 7:00 PM 
FAYETTE, IOWA || DORMAN GYNASIUM

MISSOURI WESTERN: LIVE STATS || LIVE VIDEO || TICKETS
IOWA WESLEYAN: LIVE STATS || LIVE VIDEO || TICKETS

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GAME SIX || NOVEMBER 29, 2014 || 6:00 PM
WINONA, MINN. || McCOWN GYMNASIUM

WINONA STATE: LIVE STATS || LIVE VIDEO WEEKLY NOTES

UPPER IOWA || MISSOURI WESTERN STATE || IOWA WESLEYAN || WINONA STATE || NORTHERN SUN 
THIS WEEKEND IN MEN'S BASKETBALL
 
The Peacocks got above .500 following a win last week over Waldorf College to open the home season at Dorman Gym. UIU hosts a pair of non-conference opponents, Missouri Western State and Iowa Wesleyan, before kicking off the NSIC schedule with a game against Winona State. Upper Iowa is 0-2 all-time against Missouri Western State and hasn't played Iowa Wesleyan since moving up to NCAA Division II. The Peacocks are 1-9 against Winona State. The home games will tip off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on KCRG channel 9.2.

 
KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER
 
1     A BALANCING ACT:  Coming into the season, the Peacocks didn't know who would replace Joey Woods' 17.8 points per game, but early in the season UIU has spread the wealth on the offensive end of the floor. Through three games, UIU has four players averaging double figures. Grant Lang leads Upper Iowa with 14.3 points per game, Josh Weeber comes in just behind him at 13.7, Jace Hanna is at 12.7 ppg and Jimmy Roth sits at 12.0. All four players have improved their average from last year with the biggest jump coming from Hanna, who averaged just 3.4 points during the 2013-14 season.
 
2     WISH GRANT-ED:  Senior guard Grant Lang led UIU in scoring for the first time this season against Waldorf when he poured in 24 including 6-of-9 from three point range. It was Lang's sixth 20-point scoring effort of his career, breaking a tie with Josh Weeber for the current team lead. Lang is currently 17^th in the Northern Sun in scoring, but first in three point field goals per game (3.3/game) and second in assist-to-turnover ratio with 12 assists to just one turnover. 
 
3     PROTECTING THE BALL:  Upper Iowa has been the best in conference thus far at not committing turnovers as UIU has only given the ball away 7.3 times per game. Add in the fact that the Peacocks are second in steals (8.3/game) and third in turnover margin (5.0/game), along with averaging 16.7 assists per game, Upper Iowa leads the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3).
 
4     FROM DEEP:  UIU was second in the NSIC in three point field goals made per game last season and the Peacocks return their top five outside sharpshooters. UIU is currently third in the conference in three point baskets per game as Grant Lang has started the year 10-of-19 and Jace Hanna is 3-of-5 from deep. Newcomers Jarrod Gamble (4-for-8) and Carson Parker (3-of-6) have added in the mix of three point shooting. All together, the Peacocks have had nine players convert a trifecta this season and seven of those nine have made more than one.

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THE SERIES...

VS MISSOURI WESTERN STATE: UIU is 0-2 all-time against the Griffins including a 84-79 loss last season in St. Joseph, Missouri. Grant Lang had 20 points while Josh Weeber and Joey Woods had 15 in the loss.

VS IOWA WESLEYAN: Upper Iowa has not played Iowa Wesleyan since moving up to NCAA Division II.

VS WINONA STATE: The Peacocks are 1-9 all-time against the Warriors. The lone win was a 64-63 victory in Winona on Dec. 1, 2012, when Tucker Wentzien made a layup with 1 second remaining to pull off the upset over the #9 Warriors.   

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ABOUT THE OPPONENTS... 

MISSOURI WESTERN STATE: The Griffins are 2-0 early in the season, with wins coming over Rockhurst University (66-60) and William Jewel College (63-61) at the Hillyard Tip Off in St. Joseph, Mo. Missouri Western State was selected to finish 11th in the MIAA in this season's preseason coaches poll after going 5-14 in conference and 10-18 overall last season.

IOWA WESLEYAN: The Tigers are 3-0 to start the year, having played all three games on the road. IWC defeated Central Christian College, 85-76, before beating Ozark Christian (91-80) and Faith Baptist Bible (94-82) in the Faith Baptist Tournament.

WINONA STATE: The Warriors are 2-1 this season and have won their last two games. Winona State started the year with a loss to UW-LaCrosse (55-59), but has rebounded to be Clarke College (86-45) and Cardinal Stritch (87-59) soundly. The Warriors were picked to finish 4th in the NSIC and 3rd in the NSIC South in this year's preseason poll.