#uiubasketball

Written by Ava Privet, Collegian Staff

In head coach Casey Kasperbauer’s first season, the Upper Iowa men’s basketball team put together a strong and consistent 2025–26 campaign, finishing 17–11 overall and 12–8 in GLVC play while earning the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament. The Peacocks showed early on they could compete with anyone, building momentum through nonconference play and carrying it into the heart of their schedule. A key stretch in December helped define the season, highlighted by a win over then-No. 5 Missouri S&T and a dominant 103–74 performance against Clarke. From there, Upper Iowa stayed steady, stacking quality wins and positioning itself as a tough matchup night in and night out.

Offensively, the Peacocks were one of the more dynamic teams in the league, averaging 82.8 points per game and outscoring opponents by 4.3 points per contest. They had the ability to score in bunches, including a season-high 106 points in a win over Maryville, while also showing balance across the board. Upper Iowa knocked down 249 three-pointers on the year, with Tate Petersen leading the way at an impressive 45.2% from deep. Ball movement was another strength, as the team averaged 16.6 assists per game, and their ability to take care of the ball led to a +4.1 turnover margin and over 18 points per game off turnovers. Defensively, the Peacocks created pressure with 8.8 steals per game, often turning those into easy scoring opportunities.

Written by Ava Privet, Collegian Staff

In Justin Maass’s fourth season leading the program, the Upper Iowa women’s basketball team continued to move in the right direction, finishing the 2025–26 season 14–15 overall and 10–10 in GLVC play while earning the No. 8 seed in the conference tournament. After a tough 0–2 start, the Peacocks quickly turned things around, winning eight of their next ten games and building momentum that carried into conference play. From there, Upper Iowa stayed competitive all season long, finishing with a narrow -1.8 scoring margin (65.4–67.2) and consistently putting itself in position to win games.

A big part of that success came from the Peacocks’ ability to shoot the ball, especially from beyond the arc. Upper Iowa knocked down 239 three-pointers at a 34.4% clip, creating an edge over opponents and opening up the floor offensively. That strength was on full display in a key road win over Quincy, where the Peacocks set a program record with 17 made threes. The team showed it could win in different ways, too, whether it was a high-scoring 96–50 win over Waldorf or a gritty 77–73 overtime victory at Missouri S&T. Even while facing a rebounding disadvantage, Upper Iowa’s offensive efficiency and spacing kept it in games throughout the year.

Written by Luke Hanson, Collegian Staff

Picture by Luke Hanson

Year one of the Casey Kasperbauer era is off to a flying start as the Peacocks’ first-year head coach has Upper Iowa men’s basketball 4-1 through its first five games. The Peacocks began their season at the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover in Kenosha, Wisconsin, facing off against UW-Parkside and Roosevelt. A 2-0 record was achieved on the weekend trip, as Upper Iowa defeated the Rangers, 78-69, and the Lakers, 88-76, on consecutive days.  

The team followed that up with a split of two road tests the next weekend, falling to Central Missouri, 79-84, in Warrensburg, Missouri, before completing a 20-point comeback to knock off Purdue Northwest, 92-86, in Hammond, Indiana.  

In the home opener and the final game before GLVC play, the Peacocks were once again victorious, defeating Minnesota Crookston, 96-81, inside Dorman Gym on Black Friday.  

Through the opening five games, its been the consistent play from redshirt-junior Kyle Hrncir, who is averaging 18.8 ppg and 10.0 rpg on the young season. Hrncir earned GLVC Player of the Week honors following the games against Central Missouri and Purdue Northwest and has three double-doubles thus far.  

A pair of transfer guards have given the Peacocks a boost throughout non-conference play as well, as Trey Lewis and Tate Petersen have both averaged double figures in scoring. Lewis, who joined the Peacocks by way of Division I Florida A&M, is scoring 14.8 ppg and had a season-high 22 points and five assists against Minnesota Crookston. Petersen, a Kirkwood CC transfer, is averaging 13.0 ppg, shooting a team-best 56.5% from three-point range, and leads the team with 13 made three-pointers.  

As a team, Upper Iowa is averaging 86.6 ppg, ranking second in the GLVC through Nov. 28. The Peacocks have a conference-best 6.0 turnover margin per game, and are second in the conference in three-pointers made per game (9.6) and offensive rebounds per game (14.0).  

Picked 11th in the GLVC preseason coaches’ poll, the Peacocks have outplayed the public expectations thus far, but you can throw everything away when the ball tips off in GLVC play. Upper Iowa opens conference play on Monday, Dec. 1, against Quincy (3-2) in Quincy, Illinois.  

The Peacocks then return to Dorman Gym for two vital clashes with Lincoln (MO) (4-1) and Missouri S&T (3-0) on Dec. 4 and Dec. 6. The Blue Tigers and Miners accounted for all 15 first-place votes in the conference’s preseason poll, as Missouri S&T was picked first and Lincoln was picked second. In 2024-25, Upper Iowa split the season series against both teams, including upsetting then-#5 Missouri S&T on Feb. 8 inside Dorman gym.  

The road tilt with Quincy on Monday will be an important one for both teams, as each have had good starts to the season. The Hawks’ 3-2 record includes wins over Pittsburg State, Cedarville and Hannibal-La Grange, with two one-possession losses to Findlay and Missouri Western.  

Sophomore guard Tiernan Stynes played sparingly as a freshman in 2024-25, but the Australian native is the team’s leading scorer through November at 17.4 ppg. Stynes is shooting 66.7% from the field and 41.2% from three-point range, including an 11-of-12 performance from the field for a career-high 26 points against Cedarville. Max Booher is another name to monitor for the Hawks, another sophomore guard and one who had a big game against Upper Iowa last season, going for 21 inside Dorman Gym. The Peacocks’ success in Monday’s opener will be dependent on their ability to shut these two scorers down for 40 minutes.  

The nerves will be lessened for Upper Iowa by the time it reaches Thurday’s clash with Lincoln (MO), but there’s no doubt the emotions will be high. Not only will it be the Peacocks’ first game inside Dorman Gym this season with students on campus, but the handful of players left from last season’s squad will be looking to avenge a home loss to the Blue Tigers last February. Heading into December, Lincoln is 4-1 (1-0 GLVC), highlighted by a 77-68 victory over Southwest Baptist in the team’s conference opener. The Blue Tigers will match up with Missouri S&T in Jefferson City, Missouri ahead of arriving in Fayette.  

After losing his top two scorers from last year’s team Lincoln (MO) head coach Jimmy Drew found a gem in the transfer portal in Division I Prairie View A&M transfer Solomon Oraegbu. Oraegbu has also spent plenty of time across Division II, playing at UW-Parkside, Ferris State and Emporia State in years’ past, and now featuring as the Blue Tigers’ leading scorer at 17.8 ppg. One of the most experienced players in the GLVC, Oraegbu should be no stranger to hostile environments like the one he’ll face in Dorman Gym on Thursday. Alongside Oraegbu is a host of returning players for Drew, including the likes of Tyler Chapman (14.0 ppg), Malcolm Davis (9.8 ppg) and Max Ekono (8.4 ppg). Another close game should be expected in a budding rivalry between the GLVC’s two newest programs.  

Saturday’s game against Missouri S&T may be the most anticipated matchup of the season for both Upper Iowa and Missouri S&T, with strong motives for both teams. The Peacocks will be aiming to make a statement to close out the opening week of conference play against a team currently ranked inside the NABC DII Coaches’ Poll top 10, while the Miners are out for revenge after falling as the #5 team in the country and losing its then-perfect GLVC record last season in Dorman Gym. The Miners will face off against Lincoln (MO) and Quincy ahead of Saturday’s game, currently boasting a 3-0 record and holding opponents to 53.3 ppg.  

The big three for Missouri S&T is a trio of returners from last year’s core, as Alex Benassi (16.7 ppg), Cameron Stovall (15.0 ppg) and Andrew Young (13.5 ppg) all are back in Miner uniforms. However this game turns out, both of these teams will learn a lot about themselves over the course of 40 minutes.