The Peacock women's basketball team got out to a hot start against Northern State University but wasn't able to maintain the momentum the rest of the way to eventually fall 61-42 to the Wolves on Friday evening on Prochaska Court. Northern State improved to 6-7 (3-4 NSIC) and Upper Iowa dipped to 3-12 (0-7 NSIC).

Upper Iowa held a 15-12 advantage going into the 2^nd quarter but Northern State upped its defense enough to hold the Peacocks to one basket in the frame while scoring 16 points of its own to give the Wolves a double-digit lead at the half. UIU pulled within four midway through the third quarter only to have the guests outscore the home team 26-11 the rest of the way for the 19-point win.

Upper Iowa shot a season-low 25.5 percent from the field despite starting the game 6-for-13 (46.2%). Northern State shot 50.0 percent or better in two quarters and 42.9 percent overall. The Peacocks won the turnover battle for the second time this season. NSU committed 14 turnovers while UIU finished with a season-low 11.

The Peacocks and Wolves battled point for point in the opening minutes. Upper Iowa went 3-for-3 in its first three possessions thanks to scores from Laker Ward, Casey Miles, and Bekka Pierson which gave UIU a 7-6 lead just 1:49 into the game. NSU retook the lead with a Brianna Kusler bucket but back-to-back trifectas from Ward and Amanda Cartney kicked off an 8-4 run that gave the Peacocks a three-point advantage at the end of the first quarter. The run was capped off by a steal and layup from Marina Peinado.

Upper Iowa's first quarter success unfortunately didn't carry into the second frame. NSU started the leg on a 6-0 run before Natalie Dinius converted the Peacock's lone score of the quarter to tie the game at 18-all with 4:48 left in the first half. After a quiet start to the quarter by both teams, the Wolves put together a strong offensive effort that scored 10 unanswered over the final 2:14 for a 28-18 halftime lead.

Backed by five points from Dinius and four from Miles, Upper Iowa cut the gap down to four on two occasions in the 3^rd quarter. The Peacocks shot 57.1 percent during the stretch that brought the score to 35-31, but didn't make another basket in the quarter to once again find themselves in a double-digit hole. Caylin Rufus added a pair of scores and Upper Iowa went 7-for-11 at the line in the final quarter while the Wolves shot 63.6 percent to extend their lead to as many as 20 and secure the 61-42 victory.

Dinius finished with 10 points while Miles and Savannah Domeyer each chipped in seven. Domeyer (5) and Pierson (4) led the Peacock's rebounding efforts.

Tori Mekash (15), Jessi Marti (13), and Alayna Johnson (10) finished in double-digits for the Wolves. Brianna Kusler pulled down 11 rebounds and Mekash dished out four assists, both game-highs.

The Peacocks return to Dorman Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon to take on Minnesota State University Moorhead at 3:30 p.m. The Dragons beat Winona State University on Friday evening by a final score of 64-51 to extend their winning streak to nine games.