The Upper Iowa women's basketball team saw their 2018-19 season come to a close in the first round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament as the Peacocks fell to their hosts, the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons. The teams competed in a back-and-forth first half but the Dragons dominated the glass and knocked down eight 3-pointers in the second half to advance to the quarterfinals with a 92-67 win. MSU Moorhead improved to 24-5 with the victory while Upper Iowa finishes the season 3-28.
Haley Martin led the Peacocks one last time with a career-high and game-high 18 points thanks to 6-for-10 shooting from the floor. The senior also hauled in a team-high six rebounds to finish her career with 510 boards and 502 points. Bekka Pierson cashed in on 7-of-10 field goal attempts and 3-of-4 free throws for 17 points, Emma Gaber sunk four triples for 12 points, and Natalie Dinius scored all 10 of her points in the second half. Casey Miles tied her career-high seven assists in her final game for Upper Iowa to give her 92 helpers in her two-year career.
The Peacocks ended the season with their second-best shooting clip of the year making 48.0 percent of their shots. Upper Iowa made nine trifectas to tie their season-high thanks to 50.0 percent shooting from deep, the third time this season the Peacocks have made half or more of their long-range attempts.
The Dragons shot 49.3 percent overall and dominated the glass with a 41-20 rebounding advantage, including a 19-5 offensive rebound edge that turned into 18 points for the home team.
Both teams battled back and forth in the opening minutes with Upper Iowa claiming its first lead of the night off a Martin triple that brought the score to 10-8. Each team then went on scoreless spurts as MSUM scored 10 unanswered over the next 3:42 and Upper Iowa closed out the quarter with the next 12 for a 22-18 lead. The Dragons were able to tie the game on two occasions in the second frame but the Peacocks didn't surrender the lead until Kiley Borowicz hit a free throw which ignited a 13-7 MSUM run that put the Dragons back on top by six, 43-37, at the half.
MSUM's distance game came to life in the second half as the Dragons were able to separate by as many as 28 points thanks in most part to 8-of-16 shooting from deep. The Dragons also brought down 10 of their 19 offensive rebounds in the final 20 minutes, which gave the home team 10 points on the extra possessions. Upper Iowa shot 50.0 percent from the field in the second half but limited its opportunities with nine turnovers.
Five Dragons reached double figures led by Borowicz with 17 and reigning NSIC North Player of the Week Megan Hintz with 16. Hintz pulled down a game-high eight rebounds while Peyton Boom chipped in seven to go with her 15 points.
