Upper Iowa trailed the Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead by just six points at halftime, but the home team went cold in the third quarter as the margin grew.  The Peacocks didn't recover from the ten-minute period and fell to MSU Moorhead 71-55. Aleesha Cleaver led the Peacocks with 20 points on the night, but it wasn't enough to counter the Dragons' Heather Strese, who recorded a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds.  MSUM improves to 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the NSIC with the win, while UIU drops to 3-10 overall and 2-5 in the conference.

The Peacocks took an early 7-3 lead fueled by four points from Carly Pagel and a fastbreak three-pointer by Whitney Kieffer, but the Dragons answered with a 12-4 run over the next five minutes to move ahead 15-11.  A second trifecta from Kieffer pulled the gap back to one, but the visitors reestablished their four-point advantage by the end of the first quarter, 21-17.  MSUM took advantage of 6 UIU turnovers and converted them into 11 points.

Natalie Van Wyhe and Strese knocked in back-to-back shots in the paint to give the Dragons a six-point lead early in the second quarter, but a quick 7-0 run by the home team gave the Peacocks a 26-25 lead just over a minute later.  The offensive spurt included three straight lay-ups capped off by a Kieffer three-point play.  After MSU Moorhead retook a slim lead, Cleaver nailed a three-pointer to put the Peacocks ahead 29-27 midway through the quarter.  MSU Moorhead tightened up their defense over the final five minutes and held the Peacocks to just five points, while their offense scored thirteen for a 40-34 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, the Dragons quickly extended their lead to seventeen, 56-39, thanks to a 16-5 run over the opening six minutes.  UIU's five points came on a pair of free throws and a long ball from Cleaver.  The Peacocks scored their only other points in the frame on a three-pointer from Madi Meier as MSU Moorhead took a 58-42 lead into the final quarter. 

Upper Iowa came out strong in the final quarter and cut the lead to eleven points, 60-49.  The Peacocks outscored the Dragons 7-2 over the first four and a half minutes of the quarter highlighted by five points from Cleaver and a pair of free throws from Karlee Grabau.  UIU wouldn't get any closer though as MSU Moorhead closed the game out for a 71-55 conference victory.

Cleaver added 5 rebounds and 2 assists to her 20-point stat line, while Kieffer scored 14 and grabbed 3 rebounds.  Pagel and Grabau led the Peacocks on the boards with 5 apiece.  Pagel scored 8 points and Meier added 6 off the bench.

The Peacocks will get back onto Prochaska Court tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.against the Wolves of Northern State University.