2015 NSIC/Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament Bracket

Upper Iowa's offense struggled to produce against a stingy Wayne State College defense.  The #16 Wildcats defeated the Peacocks 66-52 in the final home game for UIU this season.  The Peacocks honored their six seniors following the contest.  After the loss, Upper Iowa closed out the regular season with a 7-19 mark overall and a 5-17 record in the NSIC, while Wayne State won the South Division with a 24-4 overall record and an 18-4 mark in the conference.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a twelve-point lead, 20-8, at the midway point of action in the first half.  Wayne State's defense forced the Peacocks into seven turnovers during the opening minutes of the contest and limited UIU to just four field goal makes.  Both defenses controlled the final ten minutes of the half as UIU was able to outscore their guests 13-10 over that span.  Neither team scored in the final three minutes of the period.  Wayne State took a 30-21 lead into the lockers at halftime.
 
The stingy Wildcat defense continued in the second half as WSC held Upper Iowa to just 18 points in the first sixteen minutes of the half.  Wayne State's offense found more success in the second half as they got out in transition and knocked down a trio of three-point shots.  The visitors methodically moved grew their lead from nine at the half to as much as twenty-one, but UIU put together one final run at home to close the final gap to fourteen points, 66-52, over the final two minutes.
 
Jordan Spencer led a balanced attack with 17 points for the Wildcats, who had four players in double digits. 
 
Senior Olivia Meier led the Peacocks with 15 points, while fellow seniors Lauren Buck and Lindsay Carroll added 14 and 11 points, respectively.  Buck recorded her sixteenth double-double of the season thanks to her 12 rebounds on the night.
 
Upper Iowa will be the conference's South Division seventh seed in the NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament starting on Wednesday.  The Peacocks will travel to the Minnesota-North Dakota border for the midweek, first round game.  Upper Iowa will line up against the Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead, the North Division's second seed, in Moorhead, Minn. on Wednesday night.