THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK MEN'S BASKETBALL… Upper Iowa closes out their first home stand of the 2023 calendar year with games on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 6-7 in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium against Bemidji State University and the University of Minnesota Crookston. The Peacocks (7-7, 4-4 NSIC) will host the Beavers (9-5, 4-4 NSIC) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and the Golden Eagles (1-13, 0-8 NSIC) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Upper Iowa is 22-3 over the last three seasons in Fayette.
 
LIVE OPTIONS… The game will have live options available for fans who can't make it to Fayette. 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. The game will also be broadcast live across the eastern half of Iowa on KCRG's 9.2; Friday's broadcast is delayed until 9 p.m., while Saturday's action will broadcast live.
 
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 the games this weekend. Fans can access the interactive gameday programs 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 the game's specific digital gameday program.
 
UPPER IOWA UNDER THE MICROSCOPE… Upper Iowa looks to snap a three-game skid this weekend as the Northern Sun Conference switches gears and enters cross divisional play. The Peacocks opened their NSIC slate with a 4-1 mark, but since have lost at Augustana University (99-98) in overtime, at Wayne State College (86-77) and at home to Winona State University (81-68) to even their NSIC record at 4-4. For the season, Upper Iowa is averaging 79.6 points per game on 44.3% shooting from the floor, 34.5% from deep and 75.5% from the charity stripe. UIU has turned the ball over nearly thirty fewer times than their opponents over the course of their 14 games and rank 18^th in the nation in fewest turnovers per game.
 
PACING THE PEACOCKS… Jake Hilmer leads the team in scoring with 20.9 points (24^th NCAA DII/4^th NSIC), 5.6 assists (18^th NCAA DII/2^nd NSIC), and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.5% from the field, 37.8% from deep and 82.1% (8^th NSIC) at the free throw line. Lucas Duax is averaging 17.2 points (10^th NSIC), 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 steals (15^th NCAA DII/1^st NSIC) and 2.4 assists per game and is shooting 53.6% (7^th NSIC) from the floor, 30.8% from beyond the arc and 78.8% (13^th NSIC) on his free throws. Nick Reid is posting per-game averages of 13.8 points, 8.9 rebounds (37^th NCAA DII/3^rd NSIC), and 1.0 assists while shooting 39.3% from the field, 35.9% from deep and 88.3% (3^rd NSIC) from the free throw line. Dylan Jones adds 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds on the block while knocking down 57.3% of his field goal attempts.
 
TOUGH SLEDDING IN THE SOUTH… To this point in the season, the conference schedule has consisted of one trip through the NSIC South for the Peacocks and the other NSIC South Division members plus a second match up against each team's travel partner. After eight games in the NSIC South, Wayne State stands alone at the top with a 6-2 mark, while Minnesota State University, Mankato, the University of Sioux Falls, and Southwest Minnesota State University are all 5-3. Upper Iowa sits in fifth place with a 4-4 mark, and Winona State and Augustana are tied for sixth at 3-5. Concordia University, St. Paul is 1-7 so far in their NSIC slate. The race for the division crown and the six available spots in the NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament may very well come down to the final games of the regular season in February.
 
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS (Courtesy of BSU Athletics Communication)… The Beavers look to add to their four-game winning streak after defeating University of Mary, Minot State University and Northland College last week. John Sutherland was the leading scorer of the week with 67 points over the three games, and a career high with 26 points against Mary on 13-for-16 shooting. The Beavers had their second-best shooting performance of the season so far, converting on 57% of their shots. In the second half BSU converted on 65% of its shots against Minot State. The starting forwards for Bemidji State are the lead point scorers totaling 462 on the season. Sutherland is averaging 19.3 point per game and is sixth in the NSIC with his 232 points. He is followed by Dalton Albrecht with 230 points and averaging 16.4 ppg for 11th in the NSIC. Sutherland has climbed to second place in rebounds per game in the conference after averaging 11.3 in the previous three games. In the game against Northland, Sutherland broke 100 season rebounds and is up to 108. Mohamed Kone is leading the Beavers in assists with 46 after dishing out 11 on the weekend. Freshman Brayden Williams has been trading the lead with Kone, now at 41 on the season.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES (Courtesy of UMC Athletics Communication)…  Blaize Sagna is leading Minnesota Crookston's offense this season. Dating back to the weekend after Thanksgiving, the sophomore guard has scored in double-figures in every game, a stretch of seven straight. In those seven games, Sagna has a 26- and 25-point output and has made a three-point field goal in every game dating back to Nov. 26. To go along with the points, Sagna has pulled down four or more rebounds in each game as well. It has been a hot stretch for the London, England native, who now ranks 12th in the NSIC in points per game. Rambo Badyal and De'Antray Hughes are the only Golden Eagles to play in all 14 games, while Hughes has started six of those games and Badyal has earned two starts this season. In addition to Sagna, Xzavier Jones, a transfer from the University of Northern Michigan is averaging 12.6 points per game. Jones scored 17 last Saturday against the University of Mary.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN…  Upper Iowa is headed north next Friday and Saturday, Jan. 13-14 to take on the University of Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State University in Duluth and St. Cloud, Minn., respectively. The Peacocks and Bulldogs are set for a 5:30 p.m. tip on Friday before the team takes on the Huskies on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.