THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK HOOPS… Upper Iowa (14-12, 11-9 NSIC) enters the final weekend of the regular season just one game behind the leaders in the Northern Sun Conference's South Division thanks to their overtime win at the University of Sioux Falls last Saturday. The Peacocks visit Concordia University, St. Paul (8-18, 6-14 NSIC) on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m. before hosting Minnesota State University, Mankato (16-10, 10-10 NSIC) on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. The Peacocks will honor their six seniors during halftime of the women's game on Saturday. The half dozen Peacocks include Lucas and Max Duax, Jackson Foley, Dylan Jones, Quinn Killerlain and Baden Noennig.

LIVE OPTIONS… The games will have live options available for fans who can't make it to St. Paul or Fayette this weekend. 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. Saturday's game will also be broadcast live across the eastern half of Iowa on KCRG's CW 9.3.
 
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 GAMEDAY PROGRAM… Digital programs are available to fans in Dorman Gymnasium or at home for Saturday's game. 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.
 
PUTTING THE PEACOCKS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE… For the season, Upper Iowa is scoring 77.4 points per game and allowing 77.1 to their opponents. UIU is shooting 44.4% from the floor, 33.5% from three and 73.7% (9th NSIC) from the free throw line. Ball security has been an important piece of winning for Upper Iowa this season as they have forced 328 turnovers, but only given the ball up 271 times or 10.4 per game, which ranks 13th in all of NCAA Division II for fewest turnovers and is the fourth-best mark in the conference. When looking at the difference between wins and losses this season, the Peacocks are 14-2 when they hold their opponents under 50% shooting, but 0-10 when their defense falters and teams shoot above 50% from the field.
 
JUDGING JAKE… Judging Jake Hilmer's impact on the Peacocks is harder than one would think. Yes… Hilmer is averaging 22.0 points per game, which ranks as the 12-best average in the nation and second-highest average in the Northern Sun. Yes… he has games this season where he posted point totals of 42 at Sioux Falls, 41 versus No. 15 MSU Moorhead, 34 versus Elizabeth City State, 32 against Winona State, 30 versus Wingate and 29 against Bemidji State. But for the Peacock men's basketball team, his value is so much more than points. Hilmer controls the pace of UIU's attack and finds his teammates to the tune of 4.9 assists per game, which ranks 33rd in NCAA Division II and is the third-best mark in the NSIC. He is also pulling down 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 45.4% from the floor, 36.6% from deep and 84.7% from the free throw line, which ranks seventh in the NSIC. Hilmer has scored 1,716 points so far in Peacock blue and white and stands in seventh place all-time at UIU and has both Tony Giger (1,738 – 1984-88) and Jim Crabtree (1,741 – 1963-67) in his sites as the regular season winds down.
 
DEFENSIVE MECHANICS… Senior guard Lucas Duax was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore after 38 steals in the pandemic-shortened season. The mark was the best in the Northern Sun Conference for the second season in a row after 65 thefts his freshman campaign. Duax was second in the NSIC in steals last season with 46, but once again has returned to the top of the conference with 58 this season. His 207 career steals are tied for the program record; Kevin Clipperton also grabbed 207 steals between 1993 and 1997. This season, Duax is averaging 2.2 steals per game, which ranks tenth in the nation and leads all NSIC players. The Dubuque, Iowa native is averaging 17.1 points (11th NSIC), 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game and is shooting 53.7% (6th NSIC) from the floor and 75.5% (17th NSIC) on his free throws. Duax's career point total of 1,245 points ranks 19th all-time at UIU trailing Tucker Wentzien, who tallied 1,269 points from 2009-13.
  
REID REBOUNDING WITH THE NATION'S BEST… Nick Reid, a junior forward, has registered eight double-doubles this season and is currently averaging 13.5 points, 8.8 rebounds (40th NCAA DII/2nd NSIC), and 1.0 assists while shooting 39.0% from the field, 35.7% from deep and 83.7% (9th NSIC) from the free throw line. The Central City, Iowa native scored his season-high in points at Minot State University with 27 and pulled down a season-best 16 rebounds in Florida against Elizabeth City State University.
 
SHARING THE LOAD... Three Peacocks have climbed into the list of top 31 rebounders of all-time at Upper Iowa. Lucas Duax (461-28th), Nick Reid (447-30th), and Dylan Jones (443-31st) have all moved closer to the milestone of 500 rebounds in their career. Only 22 Peacocks have reached that mark on the glass. Keith Woolfolk holds the all-time record for rebounding with 1,473 boards collected from 1975-79.
 
WHEN TWENTY GAMES ISN'T ENOUGH… With only two games left in the regular season and 20 games under the belts of each Northern Sun team, every South Division seed from one to seven is still up for grabs. Sioux Falls and Wayne State are both 12-8, one game ahead of Upper Iowa and Southwest Minnesota State at 11-9. Minnesota State and Augustana are both tied for fifth place with 10-10 records, while Winona State is 9-11 in seventh place. Concordia-St. Paul is in eighth place at 6-14, but have won four of their last six games. With only two division gamedays to go before the end of the regular season, every basket in all eight games will have major ramifications as six teams are still mathematically eligible to claim at least a share of the NSIC South Division Regular Season Title.

LOOKING BACK AT THE FIRST MEETINGS… It seems like a full season ago, but the Peacocks, Mavericks and Golden Bears all got together early in the conference schedule on Dec. 1 and 3. Upper Iowa defeated Concordia-St. Paul 82-67, but lost to Minnesota State 97-68; the Mavericks were 9-0 and ranked No. 16 at the time. Against CSP, Upper Iowa used a 54-point first half to control the outcome of their 15-point win. UIU shot 51% from the floor and 42% from deep in their first night back on Prochaska Court, while holding CSP to 43% shooting overall and 25% from three. Upper Iowa was able to take advantage of the 16 turnovers they forced converting them into an 18-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Dylan Jones led the Peacocks with 22 points on 10-12 shooting and added six rebounds. Nick Reid hit six of his eight shots including three triples for 19 points and also pulled down seven boards. Jake Hilmer chipped in 14 points and handed out five assists, while Lucas Duax scored 12 points and notched five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Antwan Kimmons scored a game-high 25 points and pulled in 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Marcus Skeete scored 13 with six rebounds and Caden Hoffman netted 12 points. At Minnesota State, the Mavericks knocked down 10 three-pointers in the first half on the way to their 29-point win. MSU cruised to a 24-point lead at halftime behind great shooting and tough defense. The Mavericks shot 55% from the floor in the first 20 minutes including 67% (10-15) from three. While the home team's offense was in control, the defense was holding UIU to 36% from the field and 11% from three. The halftime hole was too deep for UIU to climb out of in the second half as the Peacocks fell on the road. Nick Reid and Lucas Duax led the Peacocks in scoring with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Reid added a team-high 9 rebounds. Malik Willingham paced the Mavericks with 30 points highlighted by six triples. Kyreese Willingham added 14 points behind three makes from beyond the arc.  

LOOKING AHEAD... After the two games this weekend, the Peacocks will hope that their season continues in the NSIC/Sanford Health Men's Basketball Tournament. But where and when and who their opponent will be are all questions that can't be answered until the final buzzer sounds on Saturday across the NSIC South Division.