LIVE OPTIONS
WEBCAST FOR BOTH GAMES || LIVE STATS VS. SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE || LIVE STATS VS. SIOUX FALLS || NSICSCORES.COM
WEEKLY NOTES
UPPER IOWA || SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE || SIOUX FALLS || NORTHERN SUN
THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK BASKETBALL... Upper Iowa will head out to the western side of the Northern Sun Conference territory this weekend. The Peacocks will head to Marshall, Minn. on Friday night for a game against the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University and then move on to Sioux Falls, S.D. on Saturday for a matchup with the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls, who continues to receive votes in the latest USA Today/WBCA Top 25 Poll.
PEEKING AT THE PEACOCKS... Upper Iowa comes into the weekend after their second-lowest scoring game of the season, but the Peacocks nearly came away with the upset in that game. UIU lost a 42-38 defensive battle to the Wolves of Northern State University, who are receiving votes in the most recent USA Today/WBCA Top 25 Poll. Seniors
Aleesha Cleaver (13.2 ppg) and
Whitney Kieffer (11.9) lead the Peacocks and are combining for 25.1 points a game, while redshirt junior
Carly Pagel is adding 8.4 points per game. The trio is producing 58.3% of the team's offense. Kieffer and Pagel lead the team on the glass with 5.6 and 5.2 rebounds a game, respectively, while Cleaver chips in 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
FIRST MEETING WITH THE MUSTANGS... The Peacocks fought hard in a defensive slugfest against the Mustangs to post a 59-54 victory earlier this season in Fayette. Upper Iowa converted at a higher rate at the free throw and three-point lines to edge their guests in the Northern Sun Conference battle. Hope Bonlander led the Mustangs with 26 points and 7 rebounds, while Lauren Hedlund dropped in 8 points.
Aleesha Cleaver paced the Peacocks with 20 points and 9 rebounds, while
Whitney Kieffer netted 17 points and pulled down 6 boards.
Carly Pagel added 9 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.
ROUND ONE TO THE COUGARS... Sioux Falls remained undefeated earlier this season with a 72-62 victory over Upper Iowa. The Peacocks fought hard to rally from an 18-point deficit midway through the second period and cut the gap to just six points heading to the fourth quarter thanks to a dominant performance in the third frame. Upper Iowa came out of halftime and began to whittle away at the Sioux Falls lead. The Peacocks controlled the third quarter outscoring the Cougars 26-15 behind the play of
Carly Pagel and
Aleesha Cleaver, who scored seven and six points in the frame pulling UIU within six points, 62-56, at the end of the quarter. The defenses dominated the final quarter holding the offenses to just six made field goals over the ten-minute span. Amber Paden led the Cougars with 19 points and 6 rebounds, while Alison Klostergaard scored 12 and Taylor Varsho netted 10.
Aleesha Cleaver led Upper Iowa with 17 points and 4 rebounds, while
Carly Pagel added 9 points and 6 rebounds. UIU got a boost from the bench on the night as
Karlee Grabau (7),
Megan Todd (6),
Haley Martin (6) and
Madi Meier (5) combined for 24 points.
