WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University women's basketball team will host Upper Iowa University on Sunday, January 2, in the first Warrior action of 2022.
The Warriors (5-6, 2-5 NSIC) will take on the Peacocks (2-10, 0-7 NSIC) looking to start the New Year with a victory and an eye on building a winning streak similar to the start of the 2021-22 campaign in which WSU won four straight. Head coach
Scott Ballard and Winona State went 1-1 in their most recent NSIC weekend, beating Wayne State College 74-69 on Dec. 17 and falling to Augustana University 68-62, with both contests played in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court.
Read on for more regarding the Winona State women's basketball team as they host Upper Iowa University on Sunday, Jan. 2.
Who: Winona State University vs Upper Iowa University
What: The Warriors (5-6, 2-5 NSIC South) will face the Peacocks (2-10, 0-7 NSIC South)
When: Sunday, Jan. 2 with a 3:30 pm CST start.
Where: McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court, on the campus of Winona State University.
Winona State - Upper Iowa WBB Notables:
A New Warrior Year!
Winona State will play at home for the third time in a row for the first time this season. WSU has had eight away contests and just three home games so far this year.
Winona State & Upper Iowa's game on Jan. 2, 2022, marks the first time since January 30, 2010 that the two teams have played in the month of January.
Winona State owns a 27-1 record over Upper Iowa, dating back to Jan. 31, 2009. The lone Peacock win over that time frame was a 66-58 contest on Nov. 30, 2013.
Winona State and Upper Iowa have not played a game that has gone to overtime in their last 28 meetings.
Winona State and Upper Iowa opened their respective 2021-22 NSIC schedules against each other on Nov. 23, a 73-69 Warrior win.
The four-point WSU triumph on Nov. 23 this season was the closest margin of victory for Winona State since Dec. 3, 2011, when the Warriors beat the Peacocks by three, 77-74.
The Warriors are 5-6 overall and 2-4 in the NSIC. WSU beat Wayne State (74-59) and lost to Augustana (68-62) at home in their most recent action.
Winona State is the fourth-best shooting team in the NSIC, where they are 43.4% from the floor overall. The Warriors are hitting at a 26.8% clip from behind the arc.
WSU has the fourth-highest free-throw percentage in the league (75.4%), but have shot just 114 times from the foul line this season, the least in the league.
Winona State has the fourth-best home attendance in the NSIC, averaging 742 fans per home contest.
Taylor Hustad leads WSU with 12.3 points/game, 7.3 rebounds/game, and 1.4 steals/game. She is also fourth in the NSIC shooting 49.2%.
Emily Kieck played 38 minutes last time out, scoring 12 points and hauling in four rebounds. Emma Fee led Winona State in assists vs. Augustana with five, and hauled in nine rbounds.
Caitlin Riley is coming off a 20 point performance against Augustana, where she went 6-of-15 from 3-point territory and 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
Mattie Schimenz added 16 points to the Warrior effort against the Vikings, going 7-of-13 from the floor.
The Warriors will look to continue a 16 game winning streak over the Peacocks and move to 28-1 since Jan. 31, 2009 vs. UIU.
About Upper Iowa:
Upper Iowa had their most recent game, scheduled against the University of St. Thomas, postponed due to COVID protocols. The Peacocks last played on Saturday, Dec. 18, falling to Wayne State, 65-61.
Upper Iowa is 2-10 overall and 0-7 in the NSIC. Most recently, the Peacocks to Augustana (73-52) and Wayne State (65-61).
UIU was scheduled to travel to NCAA Div. I University of St. Thomas on Wed. Dec. 29, but the contest was canceled.
Upper Iowa's two wins this year have come against the University of Arkansas-Monticello and Crown College, respectively.
UIU is tenth in the NSIC averaging 65.7 points/game, and last in the league defensively, conceding 74.8 points/game to their opponents.
The Peacocks are 14th in the conference in rebounding margins, at a -2.5 clip. They are seventh overall in offensive rebounding, averaging 38.3 boards at the attacking end of the floor.
Lydia Haack paces AU with 14.6 points/game. Jessica Musgrave (13.6), Brooke Evenson (10.8) and Katie Tornstrom (10.3) also average double-figure points.
Jessica Musgrave leads the Peacocks with 7.4 rebounds/game, while Lydia Haack has 22 steals on the season to lead UIU in that category.
Lydia Haack is 20-for-25 from the free-throw line, while Brooke Evenson is hitting 34.2% of her 3-point attempts on the season.
After Sunday's game, Upper Iowa will face Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State on the road the following weekend.
WSU and UIU once played a neutral site game in Fairbanks, Alaska. On Nov. 23, 2012, the Warriors and Peacocks were over 3,200 miles away from their home campuses for the event, a game won 70-40 by Winona State.
For the most up-to-date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit: www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and @WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words: Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics
