Upper Iowa closed out a weekend on the road with a game at Bemidji State University on Saturday evening.  The Peacocks got off to a slow start in the first and third quarters and the Beavers took advantage claiming a 70-53 win. After the loss, UIU falls to 5-17 overall and 4-12 in the Northern Sun, while Bemidji State moves to 7-13 overall and 3-13 in the conference.
 
After falling behind 16-7 through the end of the first quarter, the Peacocks cut the gap to three points right away in the second quarter.  UIU got a three-pointer from Whitney Kieffer and a three-point play by Aleesha Cleaver to close the gap.  Midway through the quarter, Upper Iowa still trailed by three, 20-17, but Bemidji State closed the half on a 13-6 run to build their lead to ten points, 33-23. 
 
Kieffer scored the first four points for UIU in the third quarter and Cleaver added six straight, but the Peacocks were only able to shave one point off the lead halfway through the period.  BSU used a 14-4 run over the final four and a half minutes of the quarter to push their advantage to nineteen, 56-37.
 
The lead hit its high mark in the middle of the fourth quarter when a Beaver three-pointer pushed the margin to twenty-two, 66-44, with just under six minutes to play.  Upper Iowa cut the gap to seventeen, 70-53, at the final buzzer.
 
Bemidji State claimed a 39-23 advantage on the glass including 11 offensive rebounds that led to 10 second chance points on the night.
 
Cleaver led the Peacocks with 17 points, while Kieffer added 13 and Carly Pagel chipped in 11.  Sarah Benson had a team-high 6 rebounds and Sam Ofstad handed out 4 assists.
 
The Peacocks will host the Bulldogs of the University of Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Feb. 5, at 6 p.m. and then welcome the Huskies of St. Cloud State University on Saturday, Feb. 6, at 4 p.m.