THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK WOMEN'S HOOPS… The Peacock women's basketball team is on the road for a pair of non-conference affairs with the #20 Flyers of Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. on Wednesday night and the Bulldogs of Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. on Saturday afternoon. The two games will serve as UIU's final tune-up prior to the Northern Sun Conference schedule getting underway on Nov. 26 at Winona State University; the Warriors are ranked #16 currently.
NEWCOMERS LEADING THE WAY… Upper Iowa has a pair of newcomers at the top of their scoring list.
Ashley Ray (9.5 points/game) and
Blair Klostermann (9.0 ppg) have made an instant impact with the Peacocks. The two transfers are leading the team in scoring in the early going along with senior
Sam Ofstad (9.0 ppg). Ray netted a team-high 14 points in the team's last game at Missouri Western State University.
LOOKING BACK AT THE DRURY INN TIP-OFF TOURNEY... The Peacocks opened the season with a pair of losses to Fort Hays State and Missouri Western State. Upper Iowa shot 37% from the field including 29.6% from three, but did convert 29 of their 37 attempts at the charity stripe (78.4%). Turnovers plagued UIU as the team committed 44 in the two games.
SCOUTING THE FLYERS... Lewis University is coming off a 28-3 season and is ranked 20th in the current WBCA Top 25 Poll. The Flyers opened the season with an overtime win over Walsh University, but then dropped a five-point decision to the University of Findlay. The team is led by Jamie Johnson and her 26.5 points per game average. Jessica Kelliher is also notching double figures with 13 points a game, and the pair of Flyers are combining for 11 rebounds a contest. Lewis shot 43.8% from the floor and 39.0% from three in the opening weekend.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS... Truman State University dropped their season opener to Northern Michigan University, but bounced back in a big way with a five-point upset of #13 Grand Valley State University in game two. Cassidy Clark leads a group of three Bulldogs in double figures for scoring after two games. Clark is averaging 13.5 points a game, while Sloane Totta is adding 12 and Brooke Bailey is netting 10.5. Clark also leads the team's efforts on the glass with 11 rebounds per game, while Bailey is grabbing 7.5 a contest. Truman State is shooting 38.8% from the floor and 31.6% from three after their opening tournament split.
