Seniors Lift Peacocks To Victory In Sioux Falls

The seniors showed up in a big way for Upper Iowa on Saturday night as Sam Elgin, Tucker Wentzien and Jake Hughes all finished in double-digits
 

Steven Wilson – Graduate Assistant, Sports Information

1/26/2013 9:38:00 PM

 

Box Score

Sioux Falls, S.D. – On Saturday afternoon – less than 15 hours after a painful loss in Marshall, Minnesota and just 3 hours before tip-off against the University of Sioux Falls – the seniors of the Upper Iowa men’s basketball team held a players-only meeting. Whatever was said behind closed doors worked to perfection as the Peacocks shot just under 60 percent on the road on Saturday night.

UIU had four players score in double-figures, Sam Elgin earned his first career double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds and the Peacocks shot an eye-popping 70.8 percent in the second half against the Cougars en route to a 82-74 conference victory.

The win left the Peacocks with a weekend split and pushs their record to 14-6 overall and 10-4 in the NSIC.

“I thought the guys showed a lot of character and resiliency to bounce back after last night’s performance,” head coach Brian Dolan said. “Just to come out with that kind of energy and excitement – I was proud of them for that.”

The Peacocks didn’t start off on fire, though.

Doing their best to protect their home court, the Cougars came out firing and it was evident who they wanted to go to. Using a high screen, Derek Holand nailed three consecutive three-pointers to give USF an early 9-6 lead.

It was also pretty clear what the Peacocks wanted to do with their first three possessions. A night removed from a 21-point performance, Tucker Wentzien didn't miss a beat on Saturday night. He used his 6-foot-8 frame to establish position in the paint as he converted the Peacocks first three buckets.

“I thought I could keep my momentum going from last night and help us out as much as possible,” Wentzien said.

The strong post presence kept UIU in the game, but Wentzien got in foul trouble and sat on the bench for the final six minutes of the first half. In that time, the Cougars went on a 12-8 run and took a 32-28 lead into halftime.

Coming into the game, the Peacocks were just 1-6 in games when they trailed at halftime, but that didn’t affect them in the second half of Saturday’s game. Still feeling burned by Friday night's loss, seniors Jake Hughes, Wentzien and Elgin fueled the Peacocks' stunning shooting performance.

“Personally, I didn’t put it behind me,” Elgin said about the loss to Southwest Minnesota State. “I put it in the back of my mind to fuel me. I think that’s what we all did. But the one thing we couldn’t do was let it affect us tonight.”

A 48 percent shooting average in the first half was impressive, but the Peacocks missed only seven of 24 shots in the second period – a 70.8 percentage, tying their highest output this season. UIU also shot 70.8 percent in the second half of last Saturday's game against Bemidji State University.

“We have guys who can make plays, but their teammates need to help them,” Dolan said. “I think the difference tonight was our energy. We guarded the full 94 feet and that helped our offense.”

The full-court press-defense led to seven steals and 13 Cougar turnovers and what was a four-point lead for USF at the half quickly turned into a four-point lead for UIU less than five minutes into the second half.

Wentzien nailed five of his 12 second-half points over the first three Peacock second half possessions.

The Solon, Iowa native’s 17 points and Elgin’s double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds helped UIU outscore the Cougars 54-42 in the second period. It was Elgin’s first double-double at UIU and the 12 rebounds was a career-high for the Center Point, Iowa native.

“That's great, but the reason we won tonight wasn’t because of that,” he said. “It was a good team win and we executed exactly what we wanted to do to get back on track.”

Hughes (pictured) was the final senior to score in double-figures for UIU and it could not have come on a better night. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native turned twenty-two years-old on Saturday and helped lead his team to victory. He also collected five rebounds and dished out two assists without turning the ball over once.

Kierre Ogbonna also finished in double-figures for the second night in a row and for the third time over his last four games.

The Peacocks will try to keep their new-found win streak alive next weekend against two tough NSIC-North opponents. UIU will host MSU-Moorhead on Friday night inside Dorman Gym at 8 PM before facing Northern State on Saturday night.

“We learned this weekend that we can bounce back,” Dolan said. “It was our first Friday loss of the year and we were able to bounce back and get the split on the road.”

Despite the split, Wentzien (pictured below) finished the weekend with 37 points on 17-of-24 shooting to go with his 11 rebounds and two steals.

Black and Blue Peacocks Struggle At SMSU

Southwest Minnesota State 74 - Upper Iowa 55

 

 

 

 

Steven Wilson – Graduate Assistant, Sports Information

1/25/2013 10:53:00 PM

 

Box Score

Marshall, MINN – The Upper Iowa men's basketball team failed to slow down fellow NSIC-South opponent Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minnesota as the Mustangs shot 54 percent from the floor en route to a 74-55 conference victory. Tucker Wentzien led the way for UIU with 21 points, but it wasn't enough as five different Mustangs finished in double-figures led by Jordan Miller's 18 points.

The win gives SMSU an 8-5 mark in the conference and a 11-9 overall record, while the loss drops the Peacocks to 13-6 overall, while they drop to 9-4 in the NSIC.

"It seems like when we come up here they play at a very high level and we don't," coach Brian Dolan said about UIU's 0-8 record in Marshall. "I think they deserve most of the credit for why that happens."

A slow start hurt the Peacocks, but just as they were gaining some momentum near the end of the first half, the Mustangs stole the show.

With 12 seconds remaining in the first period, Miller wanted the last shot of the half. He fought his way to the sideline and waited for a good-looking shot. Well, it wasn't a good-looking shot. It was a heavily-contested shot and Miller was falling out-of-bounds when the ball left his hands, but the three-pointer still went through the hoop. That's just the way the Peacocks' night went as SMSU jumped out to a 36-19 lead after one period of play.

UIU connected on just 8-of-26 shots in the first period, compared to the red-hot 56 percent shooting for SMSU. The Peacocks were also just 1-of-5 from the free throw line in the first 20 minutes.

"It's hard to tie it into one stat, but I do think free throw shooting is a good indication of where you are at mentality – if you're focused or not," Dolan said.

The Peacocks' 19 first half points tied a season-low. UIU also had 19 points in the first half against Northwest Missouri State back on Nov. 24 of last year.

There was one bright spot, though. Wentzien's play in the paint kept UIU in the game. The Solon, Iowa native had a team-high 12 points in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting. His solid play continued on the Peacocks' first possession in the second half as Wentzien converted a layup to pull the game within reach, 36-21.

Miller answered right back with a reverse layup and the Mustang lead was back to 17.

Wentzien was fouled and he made 1-of-2 free throws on the next possession, but again, Miller answered with an-NBA style drive and step-back jumper.

A Joey Woods bucket was sandwiched in between another Wentzien bucket as UIU cut the Mustang lead to 14 points, 40-26.

After two SMSU free throws, Sam Elgin got into the action as he drove to the paint, converted a layup and the ensuing free throw for a three-point play.

A minute later, Wentzien pushed his point total over 20 points as he sank a layup. His bucket pulled the Mustang lead to just 12, but that was the closest UIU would come. SMSU had an answer for each blow the Peacocks dished out and UIU could not keep up.

The Mustangs pushed their lead to 33 points two times in the final five minutes and held on for the 74-55 victory.
The Peacocks will try to put the loss behind them quickly as they have a quick turnaround game against Sioux Falls on Saturday night.

Both the Peacocks and Cougars will be looking to get back in the win column after losing their respective Friday matchups. UIU is 1-1 against USF all-time, including a 71-62 victory earlier this season in Fayette. Click here to view the preview of that game.

Looking to Extend Two-Game Win Streak, UIU Hits the Road

With just a 2-11 all-time record against the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State, the Peacocks will need their best come Friday night in Marshall, Minnesota

Steven Wilson – Graduate Assistant, Sports Information

1/22/2013 1:15:00 PM

UIU vs. SMSU GAME 19 || Friday, Jan. 25, 2013 || 8 PM Marshall, Minn. || R/A Facility Live Options: Live Stats || Live SMSU Video || Live UIU Audio

UIU vs. USF GAME 20 || Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013 || 6 PM Sioux Falls, S.D. || Stewart Cen. Live Options: Live Stats || Live USF Video || Live UIU Audio

UIU Game Notes || NSIC Weekly Release || NSIC Forecast (MP3)
SMSU Game Notes || USF Game Notes

 

This Week in Upper Iowa Men’s Basketball... After playing five games in eight days, the Peacocks earned a little rest – six days to be exact – before they hit the road again. This time, they will head to Marshall, Minnesota to take on Southwest Minnesota State (10-9, 7-5) on Friday the 25th at 8 p.m. before facing the University of Sioux Falls (7-9, 3-9) on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Series... New to the NSIC this season, the Cougars and Peacocks have met only twice in Division II play, including once this season. Both teams have a win in the series, but it will be the Peacocks who are looking for a sweep with a win on Saturday.
Meanwhile, since the 2007-08 season, the Peacocks and the Mustangs have squared off a total of eleven times, but UIU has managed just two wins in that time span. The Peacocks last defeated SMSU during the 2010-11 season as they earned a 75-74 victory at home in overtime. UIU dropped its first matchup with SMSU earlier this season.

Leading the Mustangs... Jordan Miller (14.9 ppg, 41% FG, 33% 3FG, 6.3 rpg, 3.2 apg) || Nick Smith (13 ppg, 60% FG, 6.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg) || Matt Zager (10.1 ppg, 56% FG, 45% 3FG, 3.5 rpg) || Lavione West (8.4 ppg, 46% FG, 2.6 rpg)

Leading the Cougars... James Rader (11.3 ppg, 53% FG, 3.8 rpg) || Derek Brown (10.1 ppg, 46% FG, 48% 3FG, 1.8 spg) || A.J. Holland (9.8 ppg, 39% FG, 32% 3FG, 4.1 rpg, 2.7 apg) || David Maxwell (7.8 ppg, 42% FG, 4 rpg, 1.5 apg)

Starting a New Win-Streak... After Winona State snapped the Peacocks two-game win streak, UIU stormed back to winning ways earning the weekend sweep against Minnesota, Crookston and Bemidji State this past Friday and Saturday. The Peacocks shot a combined 59 percent from the floor and averaged 42.5 points in the second half of those two games. The Peacocks also averaged18 assists per contest. Sam Elgin led the way for UIU with 39 combined points on 13-of-24 shooting. Elgin’s 27 points on Saturday against BSU was just two points shy of his career-high. Jake Hughes was second on the squad, averaging 13.5 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds per game. Those wins push UIU’s record to 13-5 overall – coach Brian Dolan’s highest win total in his seven seasons with the team.

Disturbingly Dominant Defense... Compared to where the defense was last year (72 ppg allowed), the Peacocks have not only improved their defense this season, but they have made it their backbone and trademark. Giving up just 61.7 points per game to opponents, UIU is boasting the number two ranked scoring defense in the conference. The Peacocks have allowed only four teams to reach 71 points or more and only two opponents have shot 50% or better against UIU this season. The Peacocks have also limited two of their past four NSIC opponents to 56 points or less.

NSIC Rankings... As mentioned above, the dominant defense UIU has played this year has been a mainstay for the Peacocks this year. In turn, their aggressive play has helped them climb the ranks in the NSIC, and not just on defense. Not only is UIU's defense ranked second in scoring defense (61.7 ppg), but the team, as a whole, is seventh in scoring offense (69.6), fifth in scoring margin (+7.9), second in free throw percentage (76%), third in field-goal percentage defense (41%), third in 3-point field goal defense (31%) and the Peacocks have the fifth best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.13).

Last Time... Back on the fourth of January, – when the Peacocks last faced the Cougars – UIU sunk a season-high 39-of-47 free throws to earn a nine-point victory at home, 71-62. Hughes and Elgin both had 16 points in that game with 21 of those coming from the free throw line. Jake Shonka came off the bench for UIU and contributed 11 points, while snagging four rebounds, blocking two shots and hitting all five of his free throw attempts.
After defeating USF, the Peacocks could not complete the sweep at home against SMSU, falling 74-69. The Mustangs, who went to the NCAA Tournament last season, were only one of two teams this season that have shot better than 50 percent from the floor against the Peacocks. Jordan Miller led the way for SMSU going 8-of-16 from the floor for a game-high 23 points. Nick Smith was the only other Mustang in double-figures with 14 points. UIU was led by Hughes who had 13 points and Elgin who had 12.

Making the Most of Your Senior Year... Senior Jake Hughes leads the team in assists this season with 51, while he ranks second on the team with 19 steals. What’s more impressive is his league-leading 63 percent field goal percentage. The point guard from Cedar Rapids has sunk 61-of-96 shots this season, including 11-of-21 bombs from downtown. Teammates, Sam Elgin and Tucker Wentzien are also in the NSIC rankings. Wentzien ranks 20th in scoring with 12.2 points per game, while Elgin isn’t far behind at 22nd in the league with 12.1 ppg. Elgin is also third in the conference with a 90 percent free-throw percentage. Lastly, Wentzien is 19th in the NSIC in rebounding, pulling down an average of 5.3 per contest. All three aforementioned players are seniors.

Wentzien’s Milestone... Speaking of Wentzien, the senior surpassed the 1,000-point plateau in his career last Tuesday night against the Warriors of Winona State. The Solon, Iowa native joined Upper Iowa’s exclusive club on a turn-around jumper mid-way through the second half and finished the evening with a team-high 11 points. His feat comes nearly three years after Matt Lesan joined the club in 2010 as the 21st member. Lesan also broke the 1,000-point barrier against Winona State in a 66-58 loss. Lesan finished his career with 1,383 points over his four years at UIU. Wentzien - the 22nd member - now sits at 1,029 in his career after two 13-point outings against UMC and BSU. Jim Bushkofsky is the all-time leading scorer in Upper Iowa men's basketball history as he finished his four-year career with 2,194 points at the end of the 1973-74 season. Bushkofsky also holds the record for most points scored in a season with 855 during his junior campaign. Bushkofsky's hall-of-fame plaque and his jersey hang in the hall-of-fame hallway of Dorman Gym.

Peacocks Sweep in Bismark, N.D.... Last time the Peacocks were on the road, redshirt-Junior guard Joey Woods led them to a weekend sweep of NSIC-North opponents Minot State and U-Mary with an average of 14.5 points, 3 assists, 2.5 steals and 3 rebounds per contest. UIU recorded a season-high 84 points against the Beavers as five different Peacocks finished with double-figures offensively, led by Woods' 18, before following that up the very next night with a 67-63 victory at U-Mary. Wentzien led the charge offensively against the Marauders with 16 points, while Hughes, Grant Lang and Woods all scored in double-digits.

Up Next... With just ten games remaining in the season, it's still no cake-walk for the Peacocks. Six of those ten remaining teams have a win-loss record of 8-4 or better. After facing the Mustangs and Cougars, the Peacocks will head home to take on a pair of NSIC-North opponents. First, the Peacocks will face 8-4 MSU Moorhead on Friday, February 1st, before hosting 9-3 Northern State on Saturday, Feb. 2nd. Both of those games are set to tip-off at 8 p.m. Click here to view the Peacocks remaining schedule.

Tune In...Don't forget to click on the live option links above to follow all of the Peacock action as it happens live! Keep in mind that the live video link is being supplied by SMSU and USF and will include the Mustangs’ and the Cougars’ audio broadcast. You can listen to the UIU audio broadcast provided by play-by-play announcer Zach Carlyle and color commentator Cooper Weidenthaler by clicking here. The Peacock Athletic Fund Pregame Show will begin 15 minutes before the scheduled tip-off.

Peacocks Pull Off Sweep; Hand BSU 14-Point Loss

 

Senior wing Sam Elgin finished only two points shy of his career-high 29 points against the visiting Beavers of Bemidji State

 

Steven Wilson – Graduate Assistant, Sports Information

1/20/2013 12:31:00 AM

 

Box Score

There is something about Brantley Gilbert’s Kick it in the Sticks country-rock song that gets Sam Elgin fired up before a game. He gets this mean, nasty look on his face before running through the tunnel of teammates as the starting lineups are announced.

From the onset of Saturday night’s battle with NSIC-North foe Bemidji State, Elgin wasn’t the only Peacock with swagger in their step. UIU shot an eye-popping 63 percent from the floor – its highest percentage this season – as the Peacocks posted a season-high 81 points at home against the visiting Beavers. Elgin had a game- and season-high 27 of those points on 8-of-12 shooting as the Peacocks rolled BSU, 81-67.

“When that music starts playing and I hear my name, I just get all crunked-up and ready to go,” Elgin said with a crooked smile.

It was Tucker Wentzien and David Smith who earned layups in the opening minute before Elgin went to work and connected on back-to-back buckets to give UIU an early 8-0 lead.

The Peacocks led by as much as ten, 17-7, thanks to another jumper from Elgin and two free throws from Bo Pagel before the Beavers made their first run of the night.

It started with a 10-1 run for BSU as Lance Rongstad and Jason Edwards connected on 3s from downtown. Jordan Hay answered right back with a 3 of his own to put UIU up, 21-17, with 8:10 to play in the first half.

BSU answered again, and this time, they took the lead, 27-25, with another 3 from Edwards. In all, it was an 18-8 run spanning over seven minutes and it gave the Beavers their largest lead of the game.

The Peacocks responded with a Grant Lang layup to tie the game for the second time before Wentzien hit two free throws and put UIU back on top, 29-27. The Beavers would tie the game two more times before the first period ended, but the Peacocks always clawed back. Each time the Beavers tied the game, UIU would answer with a bucket or free throws and that helped them take a 36-34 lead into halftime.

After totaling just nine total points in two games last weekend, Elgin had 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe in just the first half against the Beavers.

“I would say [the rim] felt about ten-feet wide tonight,” Elgin joked. “I haven’t been shooting great for a while. It’s been a struggle, but I know I’m a good shooter and they’re going to fall eventually. My teammates were finding me good looks and tonight was the night.”

His coach mentioned his strong week of practice and it paid off this weekend. Elgin had 39 combined points on 13-of-24 shooting against Minnesota, Crookston and BSU.

“He was shooting the ball well and he was way more relaxed,” Dolan said. “So we’re glad to have him back.”

UIU’s momentum started to fade as the second period opened with a 3 from the Beavers’ Dermaine Crocknell, giving BSU the lead, 37-36. But Elgin wasn’t a one-hit wonder in the first half.

Following BSU's 3, the Center Point, Iowa native regained the lead with an assist to Wentzien. Two minutes later, Elgin drained two free throws to put the Peacocks up by five, 46-41, before he nailed a 3 thanks to Hughes' sixth assist in the game.

“Everybody on our team has the utmost confidence in Sam Elgin as a shooter and a basketball player,” Hughes said.

After he found Elgin for the triple, Hughes made his own luck, stealing the ball and finishing the possession with a layup.

His hot play continued as Elgin took a breather on the bench. With less than 12 minutes left and less than 10 seconds on the shot clock, Hughes drove to the hoop, drew contact and converted the bucket and the free throw for the three-point play.

Hughes then converted another three-point play after a Cedric Collins steal to put the Peacocks up 62-46 with 11:46 left. In all, it was a 25-9 run for the Peacocks in the opening eight minutes of the second half.

“We knew [they were] going to be physical going into the game,” Dolan said. “I thought the guys did a good job tonight of playing with it and dealing with it.”

With just over eight minutes left, the Beavers cut the Peacock lead to just four points thanks to a 13-0 run, which was capped with a 3 from Zach Noreen.

Elgin would respond, again.

The senior hit back-to-back 3s from the corner and UIU had an eight-point lead again.

“It’s always nice to know a guy is feeling good,” Dolan said. “Noreen hit a 3 down there, we came down here and called a quick-hitter for Sam and he answered with it. That killed their momentum.”

The Peacocks would extend their lead to double-digits with a jumper and a 3 from Wentzien on back-to-back possessions and the Beavers could not hold on. UIU sealed the victory late and earned the win, 81-67.

The victory marked the first time in Division II play that both the men’s and women’s basketball teams earned a weekend sweep in the same weekend. The win also marks a two-game win streak for the men and gives the Peacocks a 13-5 overall record, including a 9-3 mark in NSIC play – their best start in Division II and Brian Dolan’s highest win total as their coach, with ten games still to be played.

“It was a great team win,” Elgin said, “and we should have more to come.”

Elgin was just one of three Peacocks – all of whom are seniors – to score in double-figures as Hughes finished with 14 points and eight assists, and Wentzien notched 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

“I tip my hat to these seniors – they’ve been through a lot,” Dolan said. “As for Jake, it’s his senior year, and it’s really fun to see him take on a more assertive role.”

With the underclassmen looking up to him, Hughes understood his pregame-message from his coach – UIU had not won a Saturday game at home this season and it was up to the seniors to lead by example.

“Coach reiterated that the last two Saturday’s we haven’t come out with enough energy or effort,” he said. “Saturdays in this league are a grind, so coming out with effort is important.”

The Peacocks will count on their senior leadership next weekend as they head to Southwest Minnesota State on Friday and Sioux Falls on Saturday. Friday’s game against the Mustangs is especially big because SMSU escaped Fayette back on the fifth of January with a five-point win, 74-69, and the Peacocks are out for revenge.

“It’s going to be a battle,” Elgin said. “It’s definitely a game we can win. If we all show up, offensively and defensively – we should be fine.”

Coach Dolan also has a bigger interest in that game.

“Brad Bigler – the head coach – is one of my best friends, but I really don’t like him from October to March,” Dolan joked. “He’s got our number for some reason – I don’t know why. It’s a tough place to play, but we always play well up there – it’s always a good, competitive game.”

Peacocks Back To Winning Ways; Beat UMC by 27

Five Peacocks scored in double-figures, but the defense led the way on Friday night, holding the Golden Eagles to just 51 total points

Steven Wilson – Graduate Assistant, Sports Information

1/18/2013 11:17:00 PM

 

Box Score

The saying goes, defense wins championships. Well, the Upper Iowa Peacocks have not won a championship yet, but they do have the pieces in place on the defensive end to dominate teams, night-in and night-out.

That held true in Friday night’s NSIC contest as the Peacock defense handled the visiting Minnesota, Crookston Golden Eagles inside Dorman Gymnasium in a 78-51 rout.

“I thought our guys did a great job coming out and establishing our defense,” head coach Brian Dolan said. “We haven’t always been like that, but that’s definitely the bread-and-butter of this year’s team.”

But it wasn’t just the defense that was firing on all cylinders. The Peacocks dished out 18 assists and shot a lights-out 55 percent from the floor as a close first half turned into a double-digit lead for UIU in the second period.

“The better we play defense, the better we run our half-court offense,” Dolan continued. “I think it was a direct correlation of why we were good on the offensive end tonight.”

Reshirt-junior David Smith has shown he has a knack for good defense in the past and his relentlessness was rewarded when he entered the starting lineup against UMC.

“It doesn’t matter who starts,” Dolan said afterwards. “They set the tone, though, and I thought that carried through all forty minutes.”

The first couple of minutes were back and forth as the teams felt each other out. UIU would take a 24-20 lead halfway through the first half on a Jordan Hay bucket. UMC answered back by holding UIU scoreless over the next four minutes, which led to 7-0 run for the Golden Eagles, giving them their largest lead of the night, 27-24, with 6:43 left in the first period.

UMC would earn only three more points before halftime, while the Peacocks exploded for 14 and took a 38-30 lead into the break. #Jake Hughes led the Peacocks at intermission with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting.

“We were moving the ball and everyone was playing unselfish,” the senior guard said. “My teammates were finding me good spots to score the ball.”

While an eight-point lead was nice, the Peacocks demanded more – specifically on defense.

“We talked about turning up the pressure on everything we were doing,” Dolan said. “In the first half, we had good pressure – we just weren’t doing it for the entire twenty minutes.”

The second-half changes resulted in seven steals coming from six different players, while UMC shot just 1-of-5 from beyond the arc, compared to 5-of-8 from 3 in the opening stanza.

“The first half was back and forth and then in the second we locked it down,” Joey Woods said. “If we come in tomorrow and play the way we played in the second half from the start and throughout the whole game, then it should be a positive outcome for us.”

Woods made his impact, not as much in scoring, but in every other category – something he’s struggled to do in the past.

“With our team this year, we have a lot of guys who can score points,” he said. “I just try to contribute – in whatever way I can. Each night, you never know who’s going to do what, whether it’s scoring, rebounding or handing out assists.”

The redshirt junior finished with just four points on 1-of-3 shooting, but had a team-high seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

“This is something he’s been battling for two years – when he’s not scoring, [it has been hard for him to] still play a positive game,” Dolan said. “He was phenomenal tonight. I’m so proud of him that he could get three shots up tonight and still do all those other things.”

Woods started the second half with back-to-back assists. The first went to Sam Elgin for a layup and the second went to Tucker Wentzien for an emphatic dunk. One minute later, Woods earned a steal that led to another dunk – this one coming from Elgin.

The aggressive defense and the smart passes led to a 14-4 run for UIU to start the second half. Hay added to the big plays by beating everyone down the floor on a UMC fast break and stuffing the ensuing shot against the glass. Wentzien converted that possession into another dunk to give UIU a 16-point lead, 50-34.

“The crowd really got us going and gets us pumped up,” Hughes said. “When we see teammates make cool plays, we want to make them too. We really feed off the crowd’s energy and they were great tonight.”

The Peacocks would keep their lead to double-digits for most of the second half, despite struggling from downtown. Over the past two games, UIU is just 4-of-27 from beyond the arc.

“There are always times when people miss shots or the ball won’t fall,” Woods admitted. “But if they keep their head straight and keep shooting the ball, eventually they’re going to go in.”

UIU didn’t need 3s, though. They had 56 points in the paint against the Golden Eagles and18 second-chance points to go along with 21 fast-break points.

“We were really pushing the ball in transition and we got easy buckets tonight,” Hughes said.

The 78-51 victory ties Dolan's previous high of 12 wins, coming back during the 2009-10 season and gives the Peacocks a 12-5 overall record and an 8-3 mark in conference play this season.

The Peacocks will now try to start a new win streak tomorrow night as they host the 8-7 Beavers of Bemidji State at 8 p.m.

“We know Bemidji is a really good team and we need to be prepared for every game,” Hughes said. “Saturday night is going to be a grind. It’s going to be a physical game and we need to go out there with that mindset to really shut them down.”

Warriors Stifle Peacocks as Wentzien Reaches Milestone

Senior post Tucker surpassed 1,000 career points, but his effort wasn't enough to push the Peacocks past Winona State at home

Steven Wilson – Graduate Assistant, Sports Information

1/15/2013 11:53:00 PM

 

Box Score

FAYETTE, IA – A slow start and a stifling Winona State defense gave Upper Iowa fits on Tuesday night inside Dorman Gym as the Warriors snapped the Peacocks’ two-game win streak, 68-53. The conference loss drops UIU to 7-3 in NSIC play and to 11-5 overall.

The Peacocks were led on offense by senior post Tucker Wentzien who scored 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, but his eighth and ninth point were especially significant. The Solon, Iowa native became just the 22nd member of the 1,000-point club mid-way through the second-period as he drained a jumper on the baseline over his defender. Wentzien joins the club almost three years after Matt Lesan became the 21st member in February of 2010. Lesan also reached the 1,000-point plateau against the Warriors of Winona State.

Despite Wentzien’s significant night, UIU only held one lead in the game. Bo Pagel sank a free throw just 47 seconds into the game to give the Peacocks a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, that lead disappeared seven seconds later.

Meanwhile, the Warriors controlled the tempo of the game with a very simple gameplan – get the ball to their leading scorer Clayton Vette and go from there.

Vette hit three of Winona State’s seven layups within the first ten minutes as WSU jumped out to a 21-8 lead. The Peacocks would respond with a run of their own.

A Jake Hughes layup at the 4:39 mark in the first half cut the lead to four, 27-23, as UIU went on a six-minute 13-6 run. Zander Culver hit a 3 for WSU to extend the Warrior lead back to seven before Joey Woods drove to the hoop and sank a layup to pull UIU within three, 30-27, with 2:33 left before halftime.

Vette connected on another layup before Sam Elgin hit a jumper to ensure a 3-point deficit for the Peacocks at halftime, 32-29.

“We spent a lot of energy coming back,” coach Brian Dolan said about the slow start. “I don’t know if it hurt us tonight. Typically, you think it would hurt, but I’d have to watch the film. I thought they got tired when we made our run in the second half.”

The Peacocks’ second-half run started with a 3-pointer from Elgin before Woods added a layup and Wentzien got into the mix with a jump-shot to tie the game at 36-36 with 16:53 remaining.

UIU’s momentum ended there, though.

Taylor Cameron drilled two of his four free throws to retake the lead, before adding a layup on the next possession to push the Warrior lead to four.

“We had the ball a couple times to tie it or take the lead and we didn’t,” Dolan said. “It seemed like that re-energized them a little bit and that was the turning point.”

Vette connected on another layup to give WSU a 44-36 lead before UIU made another run. Jake Shonka found the bottom of the net, before Woods drained two free throws. David Smith then earned a trip to the free-throw line and sank both his shots to pull the Peacocks within two, 44-42.

The comeback would stop there.

WSU pushed its lead to as much as 15 points with one minute left and down the stretch, the Warriors’ Grant Johnson hit all four of his free throws in the final 44 seconds to seal the 68-53 victory.

“This is by far our worst loss that we’ve had,” Dolan admitted. “The other four you were able to point out maybe where we were wrong or where we could have done this or that and have a chance to win. Tonight, we just got beat.”

UIU was held to just 13 percent shooting from beyond the arc – its lowest total this season, while the offense produced just 53 total points – its second lowest total this year.

“You’re not going to be consistent on the offensive end – no matter what you’re running – if you’re not knocking down shots,” Dolan said. “We have better shooters than 2-for-15.”

Vette finished with a game-high 16 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while three other Warriors finished in double-figures.

“He had a heck of a game,” Dolan said about Vette. “That’s why he was preseason player of the year. He got his team the win – he did a great job.”

Wentzien's team-high 11 points leaves him with 1,003 over his four-year career at Upper Iowa. Hughes finished Tuesday night with 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting, while adding three assists and three rebounds. Shonka provided the biggest spark off the bench for the Peacocks as he contributed eight points and nailed all four of his free throws.

UIU won’t have any time to dwell on the loss as they host the University of Minnesota, Crookston on Friday night and Bemidji State on Saturday. Both games will begin at 8 PM and after the conclusion of the women's games.

“It’s going to be a quick turnaround,” Dolan said. “We basically have one day to prepare for Crookston.”

Peacocks Host Warriors, Golden Eagles and Beavers This Week

UIU will play three games at home this week starting with an 8 PM tip-off this Tuesday night in Dorman Gym against the Warriors of Winona State

 

 

Steven Wilson - Graduate Assistant, Sports Information

1/14/2013 6:27:00 PM

GAME 16 UIU vs. WSU Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013 Dorman Gym || 8 PM Fayette, IA

GAME 17 UIU vs. UMC Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 Dorman Gym || 8 PM Fayette, IA

GAME 18 UIU vs. BSU Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013 Dorman Gym || 8 PM Fayette, IA

UIU Game Notes || NSIC Weekly Release || NSIC Forecast (MP3) WSUGame Notes || UMC Game Notes || BSU Game Notes

This week in Upper Iowa Men's Basketball... The Peacocks will host three teams at home this week starting with the Warriors of Winona State (13-3 overall, 7-2) on Tuesday night inside Dorman Gymnasium. The game is set for 8 PM and Peacock fans are encouraged to wear white in support. UIU will then finish out the weekend against two NSIC-North foes - Minnesota, Crookston (3-10, 0-9) on Friday night and Bemidji State (7-6, 5-4) on Saturday.

The Series... The Warriors and the Peacocks have squared off sixteen times over the past eight years. WSU owns a 14-2 record in the series, but the Peacocks have taken two of the last four meetings between the teams. The last time these two teams faced each other was on December 1st in Winona, Minnesota. In that game, Tucker Wentzien connected on a reverse-layup that kissed off the glass before going through the net as time expired, giving the Peacocks the 64-63 victory. Wentzien is averaging 16 points per win over the past two seasons, compared to just eight points per loss.
The Peacocks hold a 9-3 advantage in their series with the Golden Eagles of the University of Minnesota, Crookston over the past eight years, inlcuding wins in nine of their last ten meetings.
The Beavers of Bemidji State, who were NSIC regular-season champions last year, hold a 5-7 advantage against the Peacocks over the past nine years, including a win in Dorman early last season, 70-60.

Peacocks Sweep in Bismark, N.D.... Redshirt-Junior guard Joey Woods led the Peacocks to a weekend sweep of NSIC-North opponents Minot State and U-Mary with an average of 14.5 points, 3 assists, 2.5 steals and 3 rebounds per contest. UIU recorded a season-high 84 points against the Beavers as five different Peacocks finished with double-figures offensively, led by Woods' 18. UIU followed that up the very next night as Wentzien, Jake Hughes, Grant Lang, and Woods all scored in double-digits against the Marauders in a 67-63 victory on the road.

 

Disturbingly Dominate Defence... Compared to where the defense was last year (72 ppg allowed), the Peacocks have not only improved their defense, but they have made it their backbone and their main strength. Giving up 61.7 points per game to opponents, UIU is boasting the number two ranked scoring defense in the conference. The Peacocks have allowed only four teams to reach 71 points or more and only two opponents have shot 50% or better against UIU this season.The Peacocks also have the sixth-best field goal percentage defense at 42 percent and the second-ranked best 3-point field goal defense at 31 percent.

 

Leading the Warriors... Clayton Vette (18.9 ppg, 53% FG, 8.8 rpg, .8 bpg) || Grant Johnson (23 ppg, 57% FG, 5 rpg, 2 spg) || Xavier Humphrey (11.2 ppg, 45% FG, 38% 3FG, 3 apg, 0.9 spg) || Kellen Taylor (8.1 ppg, 56% FG, 5.4 rpg)

Leading the Golden Eagles... Brandon Burns (12.2 ppg, 47% FG, 30% 3FG, 3.2 rpg) || Almir Krdzalic (9.8 ppg, 46% FG, 43% 3FG, 2.0 rpg, 2.9 apg) || Justin Rake (7.6 ppg, 42% FG, 3.9 rpg, 1 spg) || James Sparkman (6.7 ppg, 33% FG, 4.4 rpg)

Leading the Beavers... Dermaine Crockrell (13.8 ppg, 44% FG, 32% 3FG, 3.5 rpg, 3 apg, 1 spg) || Mason Walters (12.5 ppg, 48% FG, 33% 3FG, 6.7 rpg) || Zach Noreen (10.8 ppg, 50% FG, 42% 3FG, 3.3 rpg) || Lance Rongstad (8.0 ppg, 42% FG, 36% 3FG, 3.4 rpg, 2.1 apg)

 

NSIC Rankings... As mentioned above, the dominant defense UIU has played this year has been a mainstay for the Peacocks. Their aggressive play against opponents has helped them climb the ranks in the NSIC. Not only is UIU's defense ranked second in scoring defense (61.7 ppg), but the team, as a whole, is eigth in scoring offense (69.4), fourth in scoring margin (+7.7), third in free throw percentage (75%), second in 3-point field goal defense (31%) and the Peacocks have the fourth best turnover margin (+1.6).

Top Dog... Jake Hughes' 63 percent field goal percentage ranks first in the conference. The senior point guard has sunk 46-of-73 shots this season, including 10-of-16 buckets from downtown. Hughes is also ranked 14th in free throw percentage (80%), while Sam Elgin is ranked 6th in the same category at 89 percent shooting at the charity stripe. Elgin and Wentzien are also ranked highly in the NSIC in scoring. Wentzien is 20th in the conference with 12.2 points per game, while Elgin holds down the 27th spot with 11.5 points per contest. Sights Set on 1,000... Speaking of Wentzien, the senior is only 8 points shy of the 1,000 point plateau in his career. The Solon, Iowa native reached the 992 mark in North Dakota this past weekend after totaling 28 points against MISU and U-Mary. Wentzien will become just the 22nd member of the distinctive 1,000-point club at Upper Iowa University. On Feb. 24, 2010 Matt Lesan became the 21st Peacock in program history to break the 1,000-point barrier for a career in a 66-58 loss at Winona State. Lesan finished his career with 1,383 points over his four years at UIU. Jim Bushkofsky is the all-time leading scorer in Upper Iowa men's basketball history as he finished his four-year career with 2,194 points at the end of the 1973-74 season. Bushkofsky also holds the record for most points scored in a season with 855 during his junior campaign. Bushkofsky's jersey hangs in the hall-of-fame hallway outside Dorman Gym.Up Next... After facing three opponents this week at home, the Peacocks will take to the road again next week as they face Southwest Minnesota State on Friday January, 25th and the University of Sioux Falls on Saturday January 26th. Click here to view the Peacocks full schedule.

Tune In...Don't forget to click on the live option links above to follow all of the Peacock action as it happens live! The Peacock Athletic Fund Pregame Show will begin promptly 15 minutes before tip-off as Zach Carlyle and Cooper Widenthaler get you set for the game.