THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK HOOPS… No. 15/13 Upper Iowa will wrap up their home schedule this Thursday night, Feb. 17 against Minnesota State University, Mankato before hitting the road for their final game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Concordia University, St. Paul. Upper Iowa heads into the weekend with a 22-4 overall record and a 16-4 mark against Northern Sun teams. Upper Iowa lost their first game of the season in overtime at then-No. 17 Minnesota State, but defeated the Golden Bears 86-73 at home.

LIVE OPTIONS… Live stats and webcasts will be available for both games through the links at UIUPeacocks.com/Live or by using the links included with this story. The action will also stream live on the NSIC Network app through Roku and Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android TV. Fans can also find Thursday's game live on television in Eastern Iowa on KCRG 9.2.
 
DIGITAL GAMEDAY PROGRAMS… Fans can access an interactive and digital gameday program for the Minnesota State game at any time at UIUPeacocks.com/Programs. The digital programs are available to fans both at our games and those at home watching the action. QR Codes will also be located around the facility to scan with your cell phone's camera that will link you directly to that game's specific digital gameday program.
 
RANKINGS, RANKINGS, RANKINGS... The NCAA Division II Regional Ranking Committees have been meeting over the last few weeks, and on Wednesday the initial NCAA Division II Regional Rankings were released. Upper Iowa is ranked second in the region behind fellow-NSIC member Augustana University. In the two national polls, the Peacocks moved up to No. 15 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division II Top 25 with 169 points and No. 13 with 148 points in the D2SIDA Division II Media Poll after sweeping a pair of home games over Southwest Minnesota State University and the University of Sioux Falls. The ranking this week marks the tenth time that UIU has been in the top 25 for the NABC poll and eighth time in the D2SIDA poll.
 
STAT WATCH… Super senior Joe Smoldt increased his program-best, career three-point total to 351 and his career scoring total to 1,935 points after last weekend's games. His point total ranks second all-time in Upper Iowa history. Last weekend, he passed both Wayne Sawyer (1,922 – 1954-58) and Keith Woolfolk (1,910 – 1975-79) and trails only Jim Bushkofsky (2,194 – 1970-74) on the all-time scoring list. Cade Moritz moved over the 500-point mark in his career last Saturday and now has 501 points. When Jareese Williams returns from injury, his first three-pointer made will mark the 300th of his career, while his current 1,506 points rank ninth all-time at UIU behind Don Dutton's 1,507 (1960-64) and Greg VonArx's 1,551 (1992-96). Dylan Jones moved over 300 career rebounds on Saturday as well and now has 301 in his three years in Peacock blue and white.
 
NO PLACE LIKE HOME… The Peacocks are 12-0 at home this season on Prochaska Court averaging 86.8 points per game, while holding their opponents to a 72.1 point per game average. Upper Iowa is knocking down 50.3% of their shots in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium including 38.8% of their three-point attempts. UIU's defense has cranked up an extra notch at home this season holding opponents to a shooting percentage of 42% and 33.5% from deep. In their 12 home games, the Peacocks have posted a scoring margin of +14.7.
 
PEACOCK LEADERS… Upper Iowa is averaging 83.6 points per game and shooting 47.9% from the floor, 37.4% from three, and 78.7% from the free throw line, which is the 12th-best percentage in the nation and leads the NSIC. The Peacocks are led by a trio of scorers Williams (18.8), Smoldt (17.6) and Jake Hilmer (16.6), but six other players are regulars in the scoring column and all have had double-figure scoring nights including a few with games of 20-plus points. Lucas Duax has improved his scoring average to 10 points a game, while Nick Reid (7.5), Connor Duax (6.5), Jones (6.3), Moritz (6.2) and Max Duax (4.7) combine to average 31.2 points per game. Reid leads the team in rebounding with 6.3 per game, but four more Peacocks are averaging at least four boards per game. Hilmer is averaging 4.0 assists per game, while Lucas Duax is snagging 1.5 steals per game. Moritz and Reid are combining for 2 blocks per game as well.
 
FIRST MEETING WITH MSU… Upper Iowa, ranked No. 19 at the time, suffered their first loss of the season at then-No. 17 Minnesota State. The Peacocks had an elbow jumper to win in regulation and a desperation shot at the end of overtime that hit off the back of the rim, but lost to the Mavericks 98-96 in their first NSIC road game of the season. UIU held leads of 28-20, 32-23 and 46-39, but each time MSU clawed back close. Minnesota State held a late 84-80 lead, but Jake Hilmer brought the Peacocks right back into a tie at 84-84 with back-to-back jumpers. After a defensive stop, the Peacocks got the last shot as an elbow jumper from Hilmer went in-and-out and the game moved to overtime. The Mavericks opened the extra period with an 8-2 run. The Peacocks answered with an old-fashioned three-point play by Jareese Williams and three free throws from Joe Smoldt to pull back within one, 93-92, with just over a minute to play. The teams continued to trade scores as the clock wound down. Trailing 98-96, UIU got one last desperation attempt off, but it missed off the back iron to give the Peacocks their first loss of the season. The Peacock trio of Smoldt, Hilmer and Williams all scored over 20 points in the game. Smoldt led the way with 28 points on 9-18 shooting including 3-8 from deep. HIlmer netted 22 points including shooting 12-12 at the free throw line. Williams scored 21 on 7-17 shooting from the floor and 5-5 at the free throw line. UIU combined to hit 29-30 at the charity stripe. All three Duax brothers (Lucas, Max and Connor) fouled out in the game as Upper Iowa was whistled for 31 fouls. While the Peacocks converted all but one free throw, the Mavericks knocked in 28-43 at the line. Dylan Jones scored six and pulled down nine rebounds, while Nick Reid scored two and grabbed seven boards. The Mavericks were led by Anderson, who scored a game-high 35 points fueled by 14-17 shooting at the free throw line, and Devonte Thedford, who scored 24 points. For the game, the Peacocks three-point attack only converted 5-27 from behind the arc and couldn't out-produce the Mavericks play inside. MSU held a 56-38 advantage in points in the paint.
 
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS… The Mavericks come into the final weekend with a 15-8 overall record and an 8-8 mark in the conference. Minnesota State opened the season with seven straight wins including the overtime victory over UIU, but then lost four of the next five games. Since the weekend of Jan. 28-29, the Mavericks have posted a 5-2 record with wins over Minnesota State University Moorhead, Northern State University, St. Cloud State University, the University of Sioux Falls and Wayne State College. MSU lost their last game, 85-74, to No. 9 Augustana University on Saturday, Feb. 12, but did hold a two-point lead at the break. Minnesota State is averaging 78.3 points per game, while allowing 74.6 points a contest while shooting 47.9% from the floor, 34.3% from three and 67.7% from the free throw line. Quincy Anderson leads the Mavericks with 17.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while Brady Williams is netting 12.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
 
FIRST MEETING WITH CSP… Upper Iowa used positive margins in rebounding (+11) and points off turnovers (+8) to secure an 86-73 win at home over Concordia-St. Paul in early December. A trio of Peacocks scored in double figures led by Jareese Williams, who netted 19 points on 8-16 shooting and pulled down five rebounds. Joe Smoldt added 18 points, four assists and four steals while knocking down 8-15 shots. Lucas Duax chipped in 12 points, five rebounds and five assists and converted 6-8 from the field. Dylan Jones and Nick Reid led the Peacock rebounding efforts with 12 and eight, respectively. Elijah Ormiston hit a game-high 28 points for the Golden Bears thanks to 13-19 shooting; he also grabbed nine rebounds to lead CSP. Jacob Everson added 15 points and added four assists.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS… Concordia-St. Paul comes into the weekend with a 3-23 overall record and a 2-17 record in the conference. The Golden Bears offense is scoring 68.2 points per game, but is allowing 80.1 points to their opponents. CSP is converting 43.9% of their field goals, 34.1% of their three-pointers and 69.5% of the free throw opportunities. Elijah Ormiston leads the Golden Bears with 17 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while Marcus Skeete is scoring 12.8 points and pulling down 5.8 rebounds a game. Jacob Everson is the deep-shooting threat for CSP; he is knocking down 52.7% (39-74) of his three-point attempts this season. Over the last six games, Ormiston has been on a tear averaging 20.3 points per game including 30 points against Sioux Falls and 27 against MSU Moorhead.
 
UP NEXT… Upper Iowa has secured at least the second-seed in the upcoming NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament. The Peacocks have earned a bye through the first round and will play in the quarterfinals on either Saturday or Sunday, Feb. 26-27 at The Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. Brackets for the championships will be released following the action on Saturday night.