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Dec. 11, 2007
The Peacock men's basketball team took the court versus the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota at the pristine Betty Engelstad Sioux Center for a non-conference tilt on Tuesday evening. Upper Iowa entered the game in search of their first win, while North Dakota was looking to extend their current five game win streak. North Dakota is playing their final year at the Division II level before the state university will move up to Division I. After another close first half, the Peacocks fell short in the second half and were defeated 65-51. North Dakota (6-3) took a 24-19 lead at halftime after forcing Upper Iowa (0-9) into 13 turnovers in the first twenty minutes. Upper Iowa played good defense to stay in the contest as they only allowed the Fighting Sioux to hit 10 field goals and forced UND into committing 8 turnovers. The Peacocks struggled to open the second half going scoreless until the 14:59 mark in the half. North Dakota extended their lead from five points at half to fourteen points, 33-19, just five minutes into the second. The Peacocks closed the gap to ten points on many occasions as the game progressed, but could never get the lead into single digits. UND took their largest lead of the game at the 2:32 mark, 59-40, but UIU was able to close out the game by outscoring the home team 11-6. North Dakota won the game and picked up their sixth straight win, 65-51. A.J. Adkins led the Peacocks in scoring for the second straight game as he hit four three-pointers and a pair of free throws for 14 points. Jude Roybal and Dan Bestul each netted 7 points, while Alex and Nick Kramer both scored 6 points. Chris Sullivan and Nick Kramer each pulled down 4 rebounds for UIU, while Roybal handed out 3 assists. North Dakota and Upper Iowa will face each other again in eleven days, Saturday, Dec. 22, for a rematch in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The two teams will meet in the Holiday Hoops Challenge sponsored by Mercy Sports Care at the U.S. Cellular Center at 2 p.m. Upper Iowa will return to the friendly confines of Dorman Gymnasium and Prochaska Court this Saturday, Dec. 15, for a game versus the Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Mavericks are one of the four North Central Conference institutions that will join the Northern Sun Conference beginning next fall. Minnesota State (7-2) and Upper Iowa will tip off at 3 p.m. |
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