THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK MEN'S BASKETBALL…
Upper Iowa (10-11, 3-9 NSIC) will hit the road for the first time in the 2018 calendar year this weekend as they return to NSIC South division action. The Peacocks will head to Sioux Falls, S.D. to take on the Vikings of Augustana University on Friday, Jan. 19 before traveling to Wayne, Neb. to match up with the Wildcats of Wayne State College on Saturday, Jan. 20. Friday night's game starts at 8 p.m., while Saturday's contest tips off at 6 p.m. Friday's night's game will also be broadcast in South Dakota on Midco Sports Network as the "NSIC Game of the Week."
 

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PEACOCK STORYLINES...

NSIC NORTH SPLIT: Last weekend in Fayette, the Peacocks split a pair of games against NSIC North division competition. UIU put together their best shooting effort of the season (58.8%) against St. Cloud State Friday night in an 84-74 victory, but then hit the other end of the spectrum in the loss to Minnesota Duluth on Saturday. Upper Iowa shot just 38% from the floor in a 72-69 loss to UMD; the shooting percentage was the worst against NSIC competition this season for UIU.

CAREER NIGHTS: In the win over St. Cloud State, two Peacocks put together career nights in scoring. Freshman Joe Smoldt scored 26 points on 8-14 shooting from the field, including 6-11 from the three-point line. The Reinbeck, Iowa native tallied his first 20-point effort of his young career, and has now scored in double-figures in three straight games (14 vs. UMD Saturday). Smoldt has scored at least 10 points in 16 of the 21 games this season. Senior Mitch Eighme also put together a career night against SCSU, tallying 16 points on 6-9 from the field. The Waterloo, Iowa native has now tallied five double-digit scoring games in his career.

SO CLOSE: In the 2017-18 season, the Peacocks have been involved in 16 games decided by 10 points or less. UIU's record in those games this year is 9-7. In games decided by five points or less, the team is 5-4. The last three losses have been decided by a total of 10 points (5, 4, 3). UIU fell by just three points on Saturday to Minnesota Duluth. During the record-setting 2016-17 season, UIU was 14-6 in games decided by 10 points or less, and 9-3 in when the difference is five or less.

HISTORY: Senior Carson Parker continues to add to his historic career at Upper Iowa. CP3 has scored 1,280 points, which ranks 14th in program history. He needs just 15 points to pass former Peacock and current student assistant coach Josh Weeber for 13th. Parker's 531 rebounds rank 18th all time, and needs five to pass Mike King on the list. The senior has also tallied 420 career assists. As a program, UIU is two wins away from 100 program wins in the Northern Sun Conference, a league they joined in 2006.
 

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THE SERIES…

vs. AUGUSTANA: The Vikings lead the all-time series 16-6 dating back to 1962. Augustana won the first seven meetings, but the series has been much closer (7-5 AU) since 2012. Upper Iowa had dropped each of the last four games in the series before their 95-91 win on Jan. 20, 2017 in Fayette when Parker hit a three-pointer with 0.5 seconds remaining to break the tie. UIU then fell in overtime in the regular season finale, 92-87, in Sioux Falls, S.D.

vs. WAYNE STATE: The Peacocks hold a 13-8 edge in the all-time series, but have dominated lately, picking up eight straight wins over the last four years and nine of the last ten overall. UIU topped WSC in Wayne, Neb. last season, 67-65.
 

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SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS…

vs. AU VIKINGS: Last Friday night at MSU Moorhead, Augustana (11-7, 6-6 NSIC) scored at least 50 points in a half for the sixth time this season en route to their 95-85 victory. Augie then turned around and fell at No. 8 Northern State, 89-78 to round out the weekend. Senior Jordan Spencer scored 25 points at MSU Moorhead, giving him at least 20 points in a game for the fifth time this season and for the 16th time in his career. Spencer moved into 12th all-time in scoring at Augustana with 1,512 career points on Saturday at Northern State.Freshman Matt Cartwright scored a career-high 23 points at MSUM, giving him at least 20 points in a game for the second time this season. Senior Marcus Asmus scored a career-high 28 points on Saturday at Northern State, topping his previous career-high of 26, set exactly one year earlier.

vs. WSC WILDCATS: Wayne State (10-10, 5-7 NSIC) dropped a pair of road games last weekend at #8 NSU, 71-69, and at MSUM, 90-66. Of the 10 losses this season, four have come in the final three seconds of the game, and have been decided by two points or less. Junior guard Trevin Joseph scored 16 points at NSU, while junior Kendall Jacks had team-high 14 points in loss at MSU Moorhead.