Upper Iowa's men's basketball team will kick-off their 2018 campaign this weekend in the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic at Missouri Western State University. The Peacocks will square up in non-conference games against the #5 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats and the host Missouri Western State Griffons, both of the MIAA. Live stats from the tournament are available for free while webcasts are available for both games on a pay-per-view basis.

The Peacocks will open up the 2018 season on Friday against #5 Northwest Missouri State in a 5:30 tip off, followed by the Griffons of Missouri Western on Saturday at 7:30. Upper Iowa has participated in the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic in each of the past three seasons, facing these two teams each time. In those tournaments, the Peacocks have gone 3-3, beating the Missouri Western twice and Northwest Missouri once.

Peacocks to Watch…

Joe Smoldt will look to lead the Peacock offense this year as he is coming off a big 2017 season when he was named NSIC Freshman of the Year. Playing in all 32 games and earning the start in 21 of those, Smoldt was a point scoring machine for the Peacocks, finishing the season second on the team in scoring.  Last season, Smoldt averaged 13.4 points per game and put up 20 or more on 3 separate occasions including 26 against St. Cloud State.

Munachiso Okonkwo will be the go-to big man for the Peacocks again in 2018. Mu played in all 32 games last season and was a huge asset for the Peacocks on both ends of the floor. In addition to his 6.5 rebounds per game and recording 57 blocks, Mu is also a big threat on offense averaging 8.7 points per game in 2017. In 2017, Mu recorded four double-doubles as well as a 20-point explosion in a 110-92 win over Truman State.

Quentin Blaue will be returning for the 2018 season after starting all 32 games for the Peacocks in the 2017 season. Blaue averaged 6.2 points in his 32 games last season with a high of 17 against NSIC opponent Concordia- St. Paul. Quentin is a deep threat for the Peacocks, trailing only Smoldt in 3-point attempts and shooting 37% from beyond the arc last season.

Jareese Williams will see an increased role for the 2018 season, coming off the bench in all 32 games for the Peacocks last year. Williams made the most of his minutes off the bench last year, averaging 5.5 points per game for the Peacocks. Like Blaue, Williams can be a threat from deep as he had the second highest 3-point percentage last year, hitting 42% of his deep shots.

Coaching Additions…
In his sixth season, Head Coach Brooks McKowen has made a few adjustments to his coaching staff ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. Last season, Trevor Hook served as an assistant coach but has since been promoted to Associate Head Coach for the Peacocks. Last year's leading scorer, Carson Parker, will be joining the coaching staff as a Graduate Assistant.

About the Opponents…

#5 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
The Bearcats have two games under their belts in 2018 and have won both for a 2-0 record and earning themselves a fifth place ranking in the national polls. NMSU is led on offense by Trevor Hudgins who has put up 51 points in his first two games for the Bearcats. He is joined by three teammates; Witthus, Hawkins, and Kirk, who are each averaging in the double digits for points through the first two games. The Peacocks have squared off against the Bearcats at the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic for each of the last years and have only been able to steal one from NMSU.

Missouri Western State Griffons
The Griffons have split their first two games of the season, dropping their first game to Tarleton State University and then rebounding to win against Fairmount State at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase. In those two games, the Griffons were led by Lavon Hightower who has put up 52 points. Hightower is also leading the MWSU in rebounds, collecting 16 boards in the first two games of 2018. The Peacocks have met the hosts of the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic in each of the last three seasons and have found success against the Griffons. Upper Iowa has taken two of the last three from Missouri Western with the lone loss coming last season.