LIVE OPTIONS
WEBCAST FOR BOTH GAMES || LIVE STATS VS. MINNESOTA STATE || LIVE STATS VS. CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL || NSICSCORES.COM
WEEKLY NOTES
UPPER IOWA || MINNESOTA STATE || CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL || NORTHERN SUN
This Week in Peacock Basketball… Upper Iowa will travel to Mankato and St. Paul, Minn. this weekend to take on Minnesota State University, Mankato and Concordia University, St. Paul. The Peacocks will take to the floor of the Taylor Center when they tip-off against the Mavericks at 6 p.m. on Friday and then head east to the state capital to play in the Gangelhoff Center against the Golden Bears on Saturday at 4 p.m. The game on Saturday is part of Concordia-St. Paul's Day of Hero's. The Golden Bears are honoring veterans, as well as hosting a Toys for Tots donation drive. The first 100 fans to donate an item will receive a voucher for one free Jimmy John's sub, redeemable at the location on Snelling Ave. near Concordia's campus.
Last Weekend for the Peacocks… Despite falling to the University of Sioux Falls on Friday, 72-62, the Peacocks played well in the second half fueled by a dominating third quarter performance that saw UIU climb back to within six points of the undefeated Cougars. On Saturday, Upper Iowa picked up their first victory in NSIC play this season defeating Southwest Minnesota State University, 59-54. The Peacocks built a double-digit lead and then maintained their edge despite a second half rally from the Mustangs. UIU's two senior leaders combined for nearly two-thirds of the team's offense in Saturday's win;
Aleesha Cleaver scored 20 and
Whitney Kieffer added 17.
21 Gun Salute… Aleesha Cleaver, who wears number 21 for the Peacocks, has been UIU's leader on both sides of the ball through the team's first nine games. The Davis, Ill. Product is averaging 14.6 points and 4.2 rebounds to go along with 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Cleaver is also not getting comfortable the few times a game she sits on the bench. The senior guard is averaging 35 minutes a game for Coach
Carol Russell.
"Kie" Player to Watch… Senior
Whitney Kieffer continues to be one of the keys to the success of Upper Iowa. UIU's all-time leading scorer is averaging 13.3 points per game while shooting just 35% from the floor as teams are swarming the Scales Mound, Ill. Native. Kieffer has continued to fill the stat sheet for the Peacocks pulling down a team-high 6.2 rebounds and adding 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Scouting the Mavericks… Minnesota State was swept in their conference opening weekend losing to Augustana and Wayne State. For the weekend, Britney Scherber led the Mavericks with 19 points and 6 assists, while Claire Ziegler tallied 12 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and McKenzie Hoelmenn averaged a double-double with 11.5 points and 10.5 boards per game. In Friday's loss to Augustana, Scherber notched her first career double-double with 26 points and 11 assists including a game tying three-point basket with one second left to force double overtime. The Mavericks eventually fell to the Vikings 96-93. Wayne State dominated Minnesota State on Saturday defeating the Mavericks 89-70 to drop MSU to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
Scouting the Golden Bears… Concordia-St. Paul split a pair of games on the road to open NSIC play knocking off Wayne State before falling to Augustana. Defense and bench play proved to be the difference in their 74-59 win over the Wildcats as Concordia held their opponents to 27.1% shooting and outscored them 37-14 off the bench. In a game of runs the Golden Bears and Vikings each had double-digit leads and lost them, but Concordia went scoreless over the final three minutes to fall, 76-69, on Saturday at Augustana. Kionda Nicks led the way on the weekend for the Golden Bears averaging 12.5 points, 7.5 boards, 4.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals.
