THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK MEN'S HOOPS… Upper Iowa returns to Northern Sun Conference action this week with a home game, their first of the season, against the Golden Bears of Concordia University, St. Paul on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. before heading north to face the No. 16 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. UIU (4-3, 1-0 NSIC) enters the games on a three-game win streak, while CSP (2-4, 0-1 NSIC) comes in off a win over the weekend and MSU (7-0, 1-0 NSIC) is undefeated through their first seven games.
 
LIVE OPTIONS… Both games this week will have live options available for fans who can't make it to Fayette or Mankato. Live stats and a webcast will be available through links at UIUPeacocks.com/Live. In addition, the games can be streamed through most mobile devices at NSICNetwork.com/UIUPeacocks or through the NSIC Network app on your streaming device. Thurday's match will be broadcasted, but delayed on KCRG-TV 9.2 until 9 p.m.
 
GET YOUR TICKETS… Upper Iowa has partnered with HomeTown Ticketing for all of this season's basketball games in Dorman. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at UIUPeacocks.com/Tickets or by paying cash in person prior to the match. Fans are encouraged to stay ahead of the curve this season with the HomeTown Ticketing Fan App available on all mobile device platforms. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids (ages 5-18) and free for kids under 5 and is good for both games of the double header.
 
DIGITAL MATCHDAY PROGRAM… Digital programs are available to fans in Dorman Gymnasium or at home for Thursday's game. Fans can access the interactive gameday program at any time at UIUPeacocks.com/Programs. QR Codes will also be located around the lobby to scan with your cell phone's camera that will link you directly to that game's specific digital gameday program.
 
HYPIN' UP HILMER… Hilmer is coming off a tremendous week in which he was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week and the D2CIDA National Player of the Week. The Walker, Iowa native led a pair of impressive comebacks in the final minute at Winona State University and against Elizabeth City State University last week. Upper Iowa's point guard averaged 27.7 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds for the week including 34 points in the final game of the Bahama House Shootout against ECSU. Hilmer hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to push the Peacocks to an 82-81 win at Winona State on Tuesday. UIU erased a nine-point deficit over the final 41 seconds against the Warriors thanks to a 13-3 run. On Saturday, Upper Iowa wiped out a 12-point margin in the final three minutes to force overtime, where the team won 87-79 over the Vikings of ECSU. The North Linn prep is averaging 22.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds through the first seven games of the season.
 
QUARTET OF DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS… Last week, the Peacocks had four players average double digits in the scoring column. In addition to Hilmer, Lucas Duax (16.0), Nick Reid (15.7) and Caleb Delzell (13.7) all filled up the basket. The quartet combined to score 84% of the team's 86.7 points per game average. Duax shot 45.9% from the floor and 77.8% from the free throw line, while Reid and Delzell were on target from deep knocking down 47.4% and 46.4% of their three-pointers, respectively.
 
SEEING DOUBLE… Nick Reid is nearly averaging a double-double through the first seven games of the season. The Central City, Iowa product is averaging 13.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game and has posted a double-double in three games total and two straight. Reid has pulled down more than 10 rebounds in four of UIU's games including a career-high 16 against Elizabeth City State.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS... Concordia-St. Paul is averaging 78.2 points per game while shooting 46% from the floor, 37% from three and 70% from the charity stripe while pulling down 30.5 rebounds. Antwan Kimmons leads the team with 25.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, while Marcus Skeete is scoring 14.7 points and grabbing 7.2 boards a game. The pair are shooting over 55% from the floor and 43% from three to pace CSP's attack.
 
SCOUTING THE NO. 16 MAVERICKS... Minnesota State enters the week with a national ranking and a perfect 7-0 record, as it defeated Concordia-St. Paul (96-78) and Bethany Lutheran College (116-98) at the Taylor Center last week. As a team, MSU is averaging 91.0 points and 40.4 rebounds per game while shooting 52.7% from the field. The Mavericks are shooting 42.5% from three-point range and have passed out 120 assists and blocked 27 shots. Junior Malik Willingham is averaging 22.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game this season. Sophomore Harrison Braudis is averaging 14.6 points per game and is shooting 66.1% from the field. Sophomore Kyreese Willingham has tallied 12.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game also, while sophomore Brady Williams has posted 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game as well.

LOOKING AHEAD… Upper Iowa will host a pair of Northern Sun Conference games next Friday and Saturday, Dec. 9-10. The Peacocks will line up with the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and then welcome the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.