Upper Iowa traveled to Marshall, Minn. for their first matchup of the weekend against Southwest Minnesota State. After trailing 19-2 to open the game, the Peacocks were never able to conquer the deficit as they endured a 63-55 loss to the Mustangs. Despite their slow start, UIU worked their way back into the game and found themselves down by only five points midway through the fourth quarter. However, the scoring surge by SMSU in the first quarter was enough to give them enough of a buffer to hold off the Peacocks when the final buzzer sounded.

Southwest Minnesota State scored the first first ten points of the game before Emma Anderson converted two free throws to break the silence and put Upper Iowa on the scoreboard. The Mustangs went on to score an additional nine more points before Callista Rochon-Baker netted the first field goal for the Peacocks with two minutes left in the first quarter. Rochon Baker's bucket ignited a 9-0 run to close out the period with help from her teammates Lydia Haack and Katie Tornstrom. 

After trailing 19-11 at the conclusion of the first session, the Peacocks kept within a closer proximity in the second ten-minute segment, only being outscored by their opponents 16-13.  They went into halftime down by double-digits (35-24) after a combination of poor shooting and being unable to combat scoring runs from SMSU. Upper Iowa shot less than 30% from the floor in the first half in comparison to Southwest Minnesota State who converted over 50% from the field after the first two quarters.

Upper Iowa came out strong after the intermission, improving their shooting percentage to 50% in the third quarter and outscoring their hosts 15-13. A 6-1 run to open the quarter pulled them within six points (36-30), but SMSU retaliated by going on their own 7-0 slide over the next few minutes. The Peacocks closed the quarter down by nine points (48-39). 

The Peacocks went down by double digits in the fourth period until halfway through when Haack, Rochon-Baker and Helen Staley pieced together a six-point scoring run to bring them within five points of the Mustangs. SMSU responded with an electric and-one from Bri Stoltzman to try and stretch the gap. Rochon Baker netted a crucial three-pointer on the next possession with just over a minute left to play. The remainder of the contest was a free-throw frenzy as no more field goals were made and SMSU edged out UIU after converting five free throws in comparison to two from the Peacocks.

Callista Rochon-Baker led the Peacocks in scoring with 17 points. She netted 7-9 from the field and 3-3 from long distance. Haack added 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists.

Upper Iowa women's basketball looks for a weekend split tomorrow as they travel to Sioux Falls for a 5:30 p.m. tip.