THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK HOOPS… Upper Iowa women's basketball is back in action as they hit the hardwood in Fayette on Saturday, Dec. 31 against Winona State. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
LIVE COVERAGE OPTIONS… Live stats and a webcast for the game will be available through the links at UIUPeacocks.com/LIVE and included with this story. The contest will also stream live on the new NSIC Network app through Roku and Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android TV. Search for "NSIC Network" to find the app on your relevant device.
PEACOCK HUE REVIEW… Prior to the holiday break, the Peacocks competed in two NSIC matchups as they traveled to Augustana and Wayne State. Upper Iowa fell to Augustana in a 79-56 result. UIU got off to a slow start, only netting 11 points in the first quarter in comparison to the 23 scored by their opponent. The Peacocks countered in the second quarter by outscoring the Vikings 19-10, only trailing by two points (32-30) going into halftime. Augustana went on a 7-0 run in the third that they used as momentum to take control of the game. Upper Iowa scored only nine points in the fourth while Augustana netted an additional 23. Huberty led the squad with 13 points, converting 8-11 from the charity stripe.
The Peacocks dropped in overtime to Wayne State 77-70. After trailing by ten points in the third quarter,
Katie Tornstrom started off the fourth with back-to-back triples for their first lead of the night. Upper Iowa was leading 50-49 with eight minutes left of play as they continued to push forward their advantage. They led by as many as five points, 56-51, before starting to suffer from the defensive pressure of the Wildcats. As Wayne State turned up their full court press, the Peacocks found themselves in tight spots and turning the ball over. Wayne State carried their momentum into the extra session, scoring a triple right after the tip. Haack led the Peacocks with 18 points, going 5-11 from the floor and converting 8-9 from the charity stripe. Tornstrom tallied 16 points, shooting 5-9 and 3-4 from three point land.
Lexie Lodermeier and
Helen Staley combined for 21 rebounds.
LYDIA ON THE LEADERBOARD… Lydia Haack continues to tally impressive marks as she has notched her way onto a handful of the NSIC leaderboards. She is fifth in scoring with 16.8 points per game. Haack has recorded a total of 728 career points over the last three seasons. The Elk River, Minn. native is second in assists with 48 total (4.0 per contest). She is tied for tenth in steals with 2.0 per game and a total of 24. Lastly, the junior leads the NSIC in minutes with 48 a game and a total of 456.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS… Winona State holds an overall 8-5 record and 2-5 mark in the conference. They are currently 6th place in the NSIC South. In their last two matchups, the Warriors dropped to Wayne State College 77-68 and fell to Augustana University in a 73-57 result. They are led in scoring by Alex Dornfeld who averages 12.6 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounding, hauling in 9.2 rebounds each matchup. Caitlin Riley averages double figures for the Warriors with 10.9 per contest.
When the two teams faced off earlier this season, Winona State grabbed a convincing 78-45 victory. A slow start and a poor shooting night for the Peacocks prevented them from climbing their way back into the game. In the first quarter, they scored just eight points in comparison to Winona State who gathered 19. The scoring pattern was consistent throughout each quarter. Upper Iowa had a lot of offensive opportunities, but struggled to convert. They went 17-64 (26.6%) from the field and 3-24 (12.5%) from behind the arc. Winona State hit 28-49 (57.1%) and shot an even better percentage from downtown, going 9-13 (69.2%).
DOWN THE SNOWY STRETCH... The Peacocks will break from competition for the New Year and return to play in Fayette on Friday, Jan. 6th. The Peacocks host Bemidji State University for a 5:30 p.m. tip. Upper Iowa then welcomes in Minnesota Crookston the next day. Game time on Saturday is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
