Box Score Records
Upper Iowa (5-18, 4-15 NSIC) || Minnesota Duluth (11-12, 8-11 NSIC)
Recap
Despite a solid offensive effort and a sharp shot from beyond the arc, the Upper Iowa women's basketball team couldn't pull off the upset over Minnesota Duluth on Friday night inside Dorman Gym. UIU scored a season-high 45 points in the first half and went into the break tied, but UMD used a strong second half to seal the 97-81 victory in Northern Sun Conference action.
The visitors outscored the Peacocks, 52-36, in the second half and converted 18 UIU turnovers into 29 points on the other end. With the win, the Bulldogs near the .500 mark at 11-12 overall. Meanwhile, the loss drops UIU to 5-18 this year and 4-15 in the NSIC.
The Peacocks missed their first three shots, but it didn't take long for the UIU offense to get going. UMD held a 4-1 lead two minutes in before
Whitney Kieffer got hot. The junior's first bucket came off a perfect backdoor cut.
Sam Thrapp hit her for a wide-open layup. The Peacocks' defense then forced a 10-second violation on the Bulldogs and Kieffer capitalized on the opportunity quickly.
Her jumper at the 17:08 mark gave UIU its first lead of the game, 5-4, but Kieffer wasn't done. Fourteen seconds later, Kieffer had forced a steal and finished off the glass to put UIU up by three. Thrapp increased that lead to five as she followed up another Kieffer steal with a jumper in transition, but UMD responded quickly.
UMD used the next minute and a half to retake the lead. The Bulldogs' 7-0 run gave the guests an 11-9 lead with 14:55 remaining in the opening period. Thrapp tied the game with two free throws before UMD hit back-to-back buckets.
The Peacocks cut the lead to one, 15-14, as
Lindsay Carroll converted a three-point play. Three minutes later, UIU was still within one after two more free throws from Carroll.
Emily Gustafson added two more free throws before UMD made another run.
This time, the Bulldogs' offensive spurt lasted 1:34 as the visitors outscored the home team, 6-0. Kieffer answered with back-to-back buckets, but UMD still held a 27-24 lead with 7:17 left in the first half.
The teams then started exchanging free throws. UMD hit five freebies from the charity stripe compared to three for UIU. The Bulldogs added a jumper in transition before the Peacocks answered.
Now down 34-27, UIU found its groove in transition. Thrapp blew past the UMD defense for an easy layup before
Olivia Meier drained a step-back three. The Bulldogs hit two more free throws before Laura Tierhark hit back-to-back threes to tie the game at 38-all with two minutes left before halftime.
UIU then took the lead for the first time since the 16:54 mark of the first half with another trifecta from downtown – this one coming from Thrapp as UIU took a 41-40 lead.
Jessica Newman found an answer for the visiting team. She hit a three to retake the lead just 15 seconds later. The Peacocks didn't quit though. Carroll and
Carly Pagel both netted layups before the halftime buzzer sounded as the teams went into the break tied at 45-45.
The 45 first-half points for UIU was a season-high as the Peacocks hit 15-of-31 field goal attempts, including 4-of-7 threes – a 57-percent shooting clip from beyond the arc.
That momentum didn't carry over into the second half.
UMD started the final period on a 4-0 run before Pagel and Meier combined for three straight points. The Bulldogs connected on a pair of free throws and
Lauren Buck got on the board for the first time with a layup before UMD started an even bigger run.
Over the next three minutes, the visitors expanded their lead to 12 points thanks to a 15-4 run.
Gustafson cut into the visitor's offensive spurt with a layup in traffic before Carroll drained a long three from the top of the arc. Kieffer kept the momentum on Upper Iowa's side with two more free throws as she pulled her team within striking distance, 66-61, with 12:23 to play.
But yet again, UMD went on another run to slow the Peacock attack. The Bulldogs kept attacking the hoop and earned four of their next six points from the charity stripe.
Courtney Major kept it interesting with a three as Thrapp found her in the corner for her sixth assist of the game, but UMD still held a 72-64 lead. Meier added a jumper on UIU's next possession before Carroll hit her second trey of the game. Her three-ball cut the UMD lead to single digits, 77-69, with 7:17 left in regulation.
Unfortunately for the home team, the Bulldogs finished the game strong. UMD quickly retook a double-digit lead with three straight free throws. The Peacocks never came within 10 points again.
UMD wrapped up the win, 97-81, by hitting their final seven free throws.
Stat of the Game
UIU set a new season high with 45 first half points, while also tying a season-high with a 53-percent shooting clip from beyond the arc (8-of-15).
UIU Leaders
Kieffer (18 points, 2 steals, 1 rebound, 1 assist), Thrapp (15 points, 6 assists, 1 steal), Carroll (15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist), Meier (9 points, 5 rebounds).
Up Next
The Peacocks will now look ahead to their annual Play-4-Kay matchup with St. Cloud State on Saturday at 4 p.m.
The Peacocks are playing for Karla Gavin, Lynn Isvik, Louise Scott, Shelley O'Brien and the rest of the ladies in our UIU community. Lindsay Carroll is playing for her grandma Margaret Carroll and late great grandma Agnes Jurgensmeier. Olivia Meier is playing for her grandma Janis Meier. Emily Gustafson is playing for her Aunt Nancy Allen and late cousin Berni Gustafson-Klobucher. Whitney Kieffer is playing for her high school volleyball coach Angie Winter. Ashlee Bailey is playing for her Aunt Teresa Todd. Olivia Winkler is playing for her grandma Martha Winkler. Coach Russell is playing for her aunts Margaret (Midge) Minneci, Margaret Anderson, and Bert DeNigris. To find out more about the Play for Kay game
click here (video).
