The Peacock women's basketball team defeated Bemidji State University 65-60 in front of an enthusiastic holiday crowd in Fayette Friday night. The win was UIU's first of the season and snapped a 20 game losing streak that included the final ten games of the 2015-16 season. Upper Iowa led throughout the first half and held off a rally from Bemidji State in the third quarter to come away with the five-point victory. The Peacocks improve to 1-10 on the season and 1-6 in the Northern Sun Conference, while the Beavers fall to 3-7 overall and 0-6 in the conference.
Blair Klostermann continued her strong play in the NSIC with 24 points on the night including the team's first seven points. UIU led 7-0 early and grew their advantage to ten, 15-5, with three minutes to play in the opening frame. Six of the team's eight points in the run came at the free throw line. The Peacocks still led 19-10 with less than a minute to play, but five points from BSU's Aimee Pelzer surrounded a turnover as the visitors cut the gap to four, 19-15, as the quarter ended. The defenses owned the second quarter as UIU outscored their guests 8-6 leading into halftime.
UIU brought their 27-21 lead into the third quarter as the offenses began to hit their stride. After combining for just 48 points in the first half, the two teams scored 46 in the third quarter alone. Bemidji State quickly cut into the margin and took a lead, 28-27, two minutes in thanks to a 7-0 run. After the lead was exchanged a few times, the Beavers established their largest lead of the game, 39-35, fueled by an old-fashioned three-point play from Sheley Tatum. A three-pointer out of the right hand Klostermann sparked a Peacock rally as the home team went on a 13-4 run over the next three and a half minutes. A lay-up by Klostermann capped the run and gave UIU a 48-43 lead with four seconds. A foul at the buzzer gave the Beavers three shots at the charity stripe which Pelzer converted to make the score 48-46 heading into the final quarter.
A jumper by
Carly Pagel gave UIU a 52-46 lead, but BSU came back again with a 9-2 run with all nine points coming from Pelzer. Pagel and Pelzer exchanged buckets for their teams and the road team maintained their one-point edge, 58-57, with four minutes to play. Upper Iowa put their foot down in the final four minutes and closed the game out by outscoring Bemidji State 8-2 to snap their streak.
While Klostermann's 24 points were vital in the win, Pagel (15 points) and
Ashley Rosenstiel (10 points) provided the spark for Upper Iowa in a game where the offense did not shoot well. UIU only converted 35% of their field goal attempts and an even chillier 10.5% of their threes (2-19), but their attention to detail at the free throw line (21-26) made up for their cold shooting hands.
Blake Bergren and Pagel led the Peacocks on the boards with 9 and 8, respectively.
Sam Ofstad handed out 3 assists on the night.
Upper Iowa will return to Prochaska Court in Dorman Gym on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 4 p.m. The Peacocks will host the Golden Eagles of the University of Minnesota Crookston.
