Aberdeen S.D. - The Northern State University Women's Basketball team is at Wachs Arena for the opening round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament. The Wolves are hosting Upper Iowa University on Wednesday night. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. against the Peacocks, with the winner advancing to the next round. Fan and ticket information can be found HERE.
 
The Wolves went 2-0 in the final weekend of the regular season, winning a share of both the NSIC Overall and North Division Titles. The overall conference championship is the first for the Wolves since 1997-98, while the North title is their fourth in five seasons. The Wolves enter the Sanford Health/NSIC Basketball Tournament as the top seed in the NSIC North with a 24-4 record overall and 19-3 record in the league. Miranda Ristau and Jill Conrad lead the team averaging 19.5 and 12.1 points per game this season, while also grabbing a team leading 7.7 and 5.5 rebounds per game. Ristau is shooting a team leading 55.8 percent from the floor, with 57 blocks this season. Brianna Kusler is shooting a team leading 46.6 percent from the 3-poitn line, while Gabby Laimer has knocked down a team leading 30 3-pointers. Northern is shooting 47.5 percent from the floor, 39.4 percent from the arc, and 73.8 percent from the foul line this season. They are averaging 74.7 points, 42.4 rebounds, 19.2 assists, 13.1 turnovers, 5.1 steals, and 3.2 blocks per game, out-scoring their opponents by 13.6 points and out-rebounding their opponents by 13.1 boards per game.
 
About the Peacocks
• Upper Iowa enters the first round of the tournament with a 2-26 record overall and 0-22 mark in the NSIC.
• Natalie Dinius leads the active roster averaging 8.8 points per game, while Angelica De Paulo and Bekka Pierson are notching 6.7 and 6.3.
• De Paulo, Pierson, and Savannah Domeyer sit atop the team notching 4.0 and 4.1 rebounds per game this season.
• Ashley Rosenstiel is shooting a team leading 42.2 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from the arc.
• UIU is shooting 31.9 percent from the floor, 27.2 percent from the arc, and 72.9 percent from the foul line, while averaging 51.9 points, 34.4 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 18.0 turnovers, 4.9 steals, and 3.1 blocks per game this season. 
• The Peacocks are led by head coach Micha Thompson in her second season at the helm. 
 
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves defeated the Peacocks 68-66 on the road earlier this month.
• Miranda Ristau led the team with 24 points, while Jessi Marti grabbed 11
• Northern shot 39.7 percent from the floor, but was unable to knock down a 3-point basket.
• The Peacocks out-shot the Wolves; however Northern tallied 40 rebounds to Upper Iowa's 32, including 18 offensive boards.
• NSU is 18-1 all-time against Upper Iowa, winning the last 13 contests.