UIU Men’s Basketball Set to Host Upper Iowa Crossover Weekend

The Upper Iowa Peacocks men’s basketball team enters a high-stakes weekend at home following a dramatic 94-91 overtime victory against Sioux Falls (S.D.).

After surviving a late-game deficit to secure their first win of the season, the Peacocks (1-0) are scheduled to host the Upper Iowa Crossover. This multi-game stretch features matchups against Illinois Springfield (1-0), Wisconsin-Parkside (0-0), and Roosevelt (Ill.) (1-0), according to Upper Iowa University Athletics.

The momentum from their season opener remains a central theme for the Peacocks. In that contest, a driving layup by Sioux Falls left the Peacocks trailing 83-81 with just 12 seconds remaining in the second half.

However, a subsequent out-of-bounds play resulted in the ball hitting the Dorman Memorial Gymnasium ceiling, granting Upper Iowa a critical possession. Cael Reichter capitalized on that opportunity with a hook shot to force overtime, where the Peacocks eventually closed out the win with six unanswered points.

The schedule places heavy emphasis on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Peacocks will take on Wisconsin-Parkside on Friday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Saturday matchup against Roosevelt at 7:30 p.m.

Wisconsin-Parkside arrives in Fayette with a new leadership structure. Kyle Blackborn is entering his first season as the head coach for the Rangers, having previously led Rockhurst (Mo.) to 40 wins during a two-season tenure. Blackborn has brought three former players from Rockhurst to Parkside: Micah Deaver, Dillon Mong, and Brian Hawthorne. Last season, the Rangers finished 10th in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) with an 11-16 overall record.

The Roosevelt Lakers enter the weekend on a high note after defeating Maryville (Mo.) 75-50 to start their season. Roosevelt’s Zander Woodruff led that effort with 22 points. While the Lakers finished 11th in the GLIAC last year with a 4-23 record, the upcoming matchup against Upper Iowa promises a rematch of last season’s split series, where the Peacocks won 88-76 and the Lakers responded with an 83-80 victory.

Individual performances from the season opener highlight the depth Upper Iowa can rely on during this crossover event:

Player Points Key Statistical Contributions
Tate Petersen 19 6-for-9 from the field, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
Jack Miller 15 3-for-6 from three-point range, 3 assists, 3 rebounds
Eric Kenesie 14 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block
Ben Bockman 13 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Ty Pflughaupt 10 2 blocks, 4 offensive rebounds

Fans can attend the games in person at Dorman Memorial Gymnasium, where the university accepts cash, checks, and all major credit cards at the ticket booth. Digital tickets are available through the official university ticketing portal.

For those watching remotely, live stats and a pay-per-view webcast are available via the GLVCSN platform. The broadcast is accessible through the GLVCSN website, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and various streaming devices including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV, as reported by Upper Iowa University Athletics.

The university has also implemented digital gameday programs. Fans can access these interactive guides by scanning QR codes located around the stadium or by visiting the official Peacocks website.

Following this weekend’s competition, the Peacocks are scheduled to travel to Winona, Minnesota, to face Winona State (1-2) on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m.