The Upper Iowa University women's basketball team was unable to hold on to a double-digit first-half lead, falling 65-61 against Wayne State College in their final home contest of 2021. The Peacocks dropped to 2-10 (0-7 NSIC) while the Wildcats improved to a 7-4 (4-3 NSIC) record.
Upper Iowa made an early statement in the first quarter, going up by 10 points after 10 minutes. The Peacocks shot 8-17 (47.1%) from the floor and a sizzling 4-5 (80%) from behind the three-point arc in the opening quarter, holding the Wildcats to 5-13 (38.5%) from the field and 2-8 (25%) from deep.
Jessica Musgrave scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in the opening frame, including four on the offensive glass.
Katie Tornstrom added eight points in five minutes, shooting 2-2 from each of two-point range, three-point range, and the charity stripe.
Musgrave converted an and-1 layup to start the scoring and put the Peacocks ahead early. The score remained close, with UIU holding a 7-6 lead, but an 8-0 run featuring three-pointers from Musgrave and Tornstrom put the Peacocks ahead 15-6. The Peacocks added a point to their 24-14 first-quarter lead after a back-and-forth second quarter, heading into the break up 39-28. Musgrave notched a double-double in the first half with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Tornstrom put up 13 points in 9 minutes on 4-4 shooting, 2-2 for three, and 3-3 from the free throw line.
After leading for the entire first half, Upper Iowa might have put the game out of reach in the first two quarters had it not been for the efforts of Wayne State's Lauren Zacharias. The guard scored 17 of her team's 28 first-half points and was the only Wildcat to make multiple field goals, shooting 6-11 (54.5%) from the field and 3-8 (37.5%) from deep. Zacharias' ability to keep Wayne State in the game left the door open for a second-half comeback.
The Peacocks looked to snuff any attempts of a comeback as
Lexie Lodermeier hit the first shot of the half to put UIU up 13. However, the Wildcats orchestrated an 11-0 run from the 8:01 to 1:44 marks to cut UIU's lead to just two, 43-41. Despite the run, the Peacocks maintained their narrow advantage into the final frame, 47-45. Upper Iowa shot just 3-16 (18.8%) from the floor and missed all six of their three-point shots, compared to a 7-13 (53.8%) clip from Wayne State.
In the fourth period, Zacharias knocked down a three-pointer to give the Wildcats their first lead of the game, 48-47, before another layup from the guard put WSC up five.
Lydia Haack knocked down a jumper to pull the Peacocks within one, but Zacharias made another layup and another three-pointer en route to the first 10 Wayne State points of the quarter. The junior recorded a career-high 29 points with her 10-point burst, and a steal and assist by Zacharias put WSC up eight, 57-49. Haack scored once again by knocking down a free throw, but the Wildcats rebounded her miss on the second attempt and turned it into a three-pointer on the other end to take a 10-point advantage.
Layups from Tornstrom and Haack and two free throws from Musgrave made up a 6-0 UIU run as the Peacocks pulled within four. After a WSC basket,
Mia Huberty converted an and-1 layup to pull the Peacocks within three before Haacktook a rebound coast-to-coast and pulled Upper Iowa within one with 14 seconds to play, 62-61. Upper Iowa forced a turnover on the inbounds pass as Musgrave secured a steal, and the Peacocks had a chance to hit a game-winning shot on the final possession. However,
Brooke Evenson missed a three-pointer with one second remaining, and Wayne State converted an and-one on the final play to hold on and win 65-61.
STATS OF THE GAME…
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Wayne State shot 50% (24-48) from the floor, including 15-24 (62.5%) in the second half and 72.7% (8-11) in the fourth quarter. Upper Iowa shot 13-29 (44.8%) in the first half, but they were just 8-32 (25%) from the floor and 0-10 from deep in the second half.
- UIU held a 15-3 advantage on the offensive glass, leading to a 13-4 advantage in second-chance points. WSC held a 30-23 advantage on the defensive glass, contributing to a 13-5 advantage in fast break points.
PEACOCKS OF THE GAME…
- Jessica Musgrave - 18 points (5-20 FG, 1-3 3PT, 7-11 FT), 15 rebounds (8 defensive, 7 offensive), 2 steals
- Katie Tornstrom - 15 points (5-7 FG, 2-4 3PT, 3-3 FT) in 16 minutes off the bench.
- Lydia Haack - 15 points (6-18 FG), 3 assists, 3 rebounds.
UP NEXT… The Peacocks end their calendar year with an exhibition game against the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. on Wednesday, Dec. 29, at 1 p.m. Upper Iowa's opens the new year with an NSIC matchup against Winona State University in Winona, Minn. on Sunday, Jan. 2, at 5:30 p.m.
