The University of Minnesota Duluth closes out the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season this month with four of six match-ups away from Romano Gymnasium, beginning this weekend as the Bulldogs travel south to take on Upper Iowa University and No. 10 Winona State University for its final interdivisional NSIC games until the playoffs begin. UMD (5-14, 5-11 NSIC) has stumbled in three straight, falling in a streaky game against Southwest Minnesota State University last time out despite a fourth-quarter comeback by the Bulldogs.

SCOUTING THE PEACOCKS | 5-17, 4-12 NSIC
Upper Iowa, too, has lost three straight entering the weekend, falling 70-53 against Bemidji State University last time out ... the Peacocks have lost 6-of-7 with its only victory in that span coming Jan. 22 over Wayne State, 55-48 at home ... senior guard Aleesha Cleaver leads Upper Iowa averaging 13.3 points per game ... senior guard Whitney Kieffer leads the Peacocks averaging 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per outing. She's also the only other player averaging double digit points at 12.1 per game ... as team, Upper Iowa ranks last in the NSIC in scoring offense at 59.0 points per game ... head coach Carol Russell is in her sixth season leading the Peacocks ... UMD has yet to be defeated in the all-time series against Upper Iowa, a perfect 11-0 including a 74-62 victory last season on Feb. 6, 2015.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS | 21-2, 14-2 NSIC
No. 10 Winona State has won five straight and 8-of-9 entering this weekend, knocking off the University of Minnesota Crookston 96-72 last time out ... the Warriors were on the winning end of the controversial 60-59 victory over Sioux Falls on Jan. 8 after a technical foul was called on USF after a court-storming celebration, gaining national recognition ... the Warriors have the second-best scoring offense at 75.7 points per game  but the best average margin of victory at 21.4 points up on opponents this season ... Winona State has four players averaging 10+ points per game on the season with senior guard Alexis Foley leading the way at 15.4 points per game ... junior center Kayla Timmerman leads the Warriors averaging 6.9 rebounds per game and is scoring 12.6 ppg with a 51.9 shooting percentage ... head coach Scott Ballard is in his 11th season leading the Warriors ... UMD is 63-10 all-time against Winona State, but fell 67-47 last season on Feb. 7, 2015.

FREE THROWS
UMD stubbed its foot twice on the weekend against the University of Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State ... junior center Allyson Harris averaged 18.0 points on the week, shooting 51.7 percent on the week, adding six rebounds, four assists, and two blocks ... sophomore forward Allison Olley nearly notched a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds on Saturday night against SMSU ... Olley and first-year guard Sammy Kozlowski each averaged 9.0 points per game on the week. Kozlowski averaged 4.5 boards, added five assists, and three steals on the week.

FOLLOW LIVE
... vs. Upper Iowa: Stats | Video
... vs. Winona State: Stats | Video | Audio

WHO'S NEXT?
UMD will travel to Fayette, Iowa this Friday night to start the weekend's action against Upper Iowa. Opening tip between the Bulldogs and Peacocks is set for 6:00 p.m.