TONIGHT IN PEACOCK MEN'S BASKETBALL…
The Peacocks (21-9, 16-6 NSIC) will meet the Minnesota State Mavericks in the semifinals of the 2017 NSIC/Sanford Health Men's Basketball Tournament on Monday night at 5:30 p.m. #2 Upper Iowa put together one of its best performances of the season in their 81-61 win over the #3 St. Cloud State Huskies on Sunday afternoon in the quarterfinal round to advance to the semifinal for the second time in program history. The winner of Monday night's game will advance to the championship game against the winner of #1 Southwest Minnesota State and #3 Augustana. Tonight's semifinal game will be available via an online audio broadcast on the
Peacock Sports Network.
| GAME THIRTY-ONE |
| #4 MINNESOTA STATE |
| SANFORD PENTAGON |
| SIOUX FALLS, S.D. |
| MONDAY, FEB. 27 || 5:30 PM |
SEMIFINAL STORYLINES...
FIRST ROUND WITH THE MAVERICKS: The Peacocks defeated Minnesota State for just the second time in program history back on Dec. 10 in Mankato, Minn. and made history in the process. UIU used the interior game, outscoring the Mavericks 52-18 in the paint at the Taylor Center. After a 37-37 tie at halftime, Upper Iowa outscored MSU 45-40 in the second frame to win the game 82-77. With the win, Upper Iowa had won six straight games for the first time in their eleven-year history as a member of NCAA Division II.
OVERTIME THRILLER IN ROUND TWO: With 8:41 to play in regulation back on Feb. 10 in Fayette., the Peacocks faced a 15-point deficit they had to overcome. At that moment, Head Coach
Brooks McKowen called a timeout, and put his five seniors in the game. The UIU veterans responded by erasing MSU's 61-46 lead in the final minutes. After a pair of late free throws sent the game to overtime, UIU outscored their guests 17-7 in the extra period to pull out a 10-point win.
Carson Parker totaled 8 of his 11 points in the overtime period for the huge NSIC South win, 83-73, in overtime.
PEACOCK ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS: #2 UIU fought all the way to the end of Wednesday night's first round game against Minnesota Crookston. Parker beat the buzzer for the third time this season, hitting a fade-away with 3.7 seconds remaining to propel UIU to the win. Parker's 20 points were a game high in the final game in Dorman Gymasium this season. Upper Iowa then put together one of its best performances of the season in an 81-61 dominant win over the #3 St. Cloud State Huskies in the quarterfinal round on Sunday afternoon. The Peacocks outscored SCSU 41-30 in the first half and 40-31 in the second half en route to one of their most dominant wins of the season.
Jordan Hay totaled 20 points as UIU set a new NCAA Division II school record with its 21st win.
Luke Lenhart reached the 1,000-point mark on Sunday, becoming the 25th member of the club all-time and the third on the active roster, joining teammates
Jimmy Roth and
Josh Weeber.
MAVERICK ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS: #4 Minnesota State topped #5 U-Mary on Wednesday night in Mankato to advance to Sioux Falls for the quarterfinals. MSU defeated the Marauders 87-78 behind Aarias Austin's 25 points. The Mavericks then defeated #8 Concordia-St. Paul in Sunday's quarterfinal round 73-51 to improve to 21-9 on the season. After a one-point lead (29-28) at halftime, the Mavs outscored the Golden Bears 47-26 in the second half en route to the dominating win.
THE SERIES…
vs. MSU MAVERICKS: The Peacocks trail the series 20-3, with two of the three wins coming this season. UIU upset the then-#20 Mavericks on a last-second shot in 2012, defeated MSU 82-77 in December, and won 83-73 in overtime in February.
