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Press Conference
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Upper Iowa found itself down 11 points with fewer than nine minutes remaining, it put together a 14-1 run in less than four minutes and used timely free throws late to down Alaska 85-79 in game two of the Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational on Thursday night at the Patty Center.
The Peacocks (3-1), who matched their win total from last season, were led by Whitney Kieffer, who scored a game-high 22 points to go with nine rebounds and three steals. Lindsay Carroll hit a big three-pointer in the second half and drained all eight free throw tries to finish with 20 points and six boards. Jennifer Herrick also notched double figures with 11 points.
Senior guard
Teanna Boxley (Mesa, Ariz./Business Management) poured in a team-high 20 points for the Nanooks (0-4). She also produced five rebounds, four assists and four steals in the defeat. Senior guard
Taylor Altenburg (Elko, Nev./Criminal justice) accrued 19 points and nine boards while junior guard
April Fultz (Rialto, Calif./Political science) scored 16 of her 18 points in the seconds. Fultz also tallied five rebounds and four steals. Junior guard
Destini Lewis didn't score herself but dished out seven assists, which tied UIU's Sam Thrapp for game-high honors.
Both teams shot nearly even as the Peacocks edged the Nanooks 43.9-percent to 43.4-percent from the floor. UIU also held a 46-41 rebounding advantage but Alaska collected 20 offensive boards to Upper Iowa's 18.
Alaska forced 19 turnovers while giving up the ball 15 times and the teams combined for 40 points off turnovers (22-18 Alaska). UIU took advantage of the fast break, however, outscoring Alaska 20-10 in transition.
Trailing 43-36 early in the second half, a Boxley bucket with 18:30 remaining sparked a 16-3 run over 3:24, which was capped off by a pair of steals and fast-break layups by Fultz, that gave the Nanooks a 52-46 lead.
The advantage extended to 11 points with 11:41 to go as Alaska scored eight of 11 to take a comfortable 60-49 lead. The 'Nooks were up 66-55 with under nine minutes to play before a Herrick jumper in the paint gave way for a 14-1 UIU run to give the visitor a 69-67 lead with 5:58 to go.
With the Peacocks leading 76-74, Carroll hit a clutch three from about 22 feet out to give UIU a 79-74 advantage. Alaska cut it to three less than a minute later, but Carroll ended the game by hitting six straight from the charity stripe.
The Nanooks return to action Friday at 7:30 p.m. when they take on the Anderson Trojans (2-3), who fell 61-46 in game one to the Winona State Warriors (3-1). The Peacocks and Warriors open session two with a 5:15 p.m. tipoff.
