The Upper Iowa women's basketball team handled their business at home with a 79-38 win over Waldorf (Iowa) University. The Peacocks improved to 3-11 overall with a victory in their first game since Jan. 2, while the Warriors (6-9, 0-3 NSAA) played the contest as an exhibition.
Waldorf knocked down a three-pointer to take an early advantage on their first possession, but Upper Iowa erased the 3-0 lead with a 7-0 run. The Warriors pulled within one possession at the 6:12 mark in the opening quarter at 11-8, but Peacocks would not relinquish their advantage as that is as close as the visitors would come for the remainder of the contest.
Brooke Evenson led the way with eight first-quarter points as UIU took a 22-10 advantage into the second period. Evenson scored all 10 of her points in the first half, adding four rebounds and two assists while shooting 4-of-12 (33.3%) from the floor and 2-6 (33.3%) from deep in the game.
Jessica Musgrave dropped in a game-high 14 points on 7-15 (46.7%) shooting to go along with six rebounds while also snagging a career-high five steals.
Lydia Haack rounded out the trio of starters in double figures with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
All 10 of the Peacocks available to play scratched their name in the scoresheet.
Katie Tornstrom added six points as a starter, while
Lexie Lodermeier rounded out the starting five by tying for a game-high with seven rebounds and contributing two points, two steals, and an assist. UIU's reserves provided a 37-11 advantage in bench points.
Mia Huberty and
Savannah Domeyer (3 blocks) scored nine points apiece, while
Emma Anderson (5 assists) and
Callista Rochon-Baker notched seven points each.
Bailey Winter scored five points while tying for the game-high with seven rebounds, setting a game-high with five offensive boards. Sandra Christian led Waldorf with eight points, while Lizzie Garza scored seven.
After a strong 11-2 finish to the first quarter, Upper Iowa outscored Waldorf 24-8 in the second period to take a 46-18 advantage into the halftime break. The Peacocks added 10 points to their lead with a 19-9 third quarter before securing a 41-point victory with a 14-11 final frame.
UIU was plus-10 with 13 steals and turned 30 Warrior turnovers into 33 points while committing just nine giveaways. The Peacocks also pressured Waldorf with a dominant 31-0 advantage on the fast break. Each team secured 27 defensive rebounds, but Upper Iowa turned a 17-3 edge on the offensive glass into a 17-0 margin in second-chance scores. Controlling the boards helped UIU finish with a 38-12 advantage in points in the paint as the Peacocks shot 30-73 (41.1%) overall while holding the Warriors to a 13-45 (28.9%) clip.
Up next, Upper Iowa hosts a pair of NSIC North foes in Fayette. The Peacocks face St. Cloud State University on Friday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. before matching up with the University of Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 5:30 p.m. in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium.
