Aberdeen, S.D. – In the opening round of the NSIC women's basketball tournament, Northern State defeated Upper Iowa 58-29 to advance to the quarter finals. The Wolves matched a season high 29-point scoring margin with the win, and improve to 21-6 overall on the year. Upper Iowa finished the 2016-17 season with an overall record of 4-23.

Northern State was aggressive early, holding Upper Iowa to just two points in the first ten minutes of play. The Wolves extended their lead throughout the remainder of the first half, closing out the second quarter with a 27-12 lead.

NSU tallied 31 second half points to seal the victory, holding the Peacocks to a shooting percentage of just 20.0 in the last 20 minutes of play. As a unit, the Wolves forced 20 Upper Iowa turnovers with 12 team steals.

Northern State shot 37.3 percent from field goal range, 7.1 percent from the three-point arc and 58.3 percent from the foul line, while collecting 26 points in the paint, 20 points off turnovers, 14 second chance points and 26 points off the bench.

Senior Paige Waytashek earned her 1,000^th career point with a team-high 14 on the night. Waytashek shot 6-of-12 from the floor with five rebounds and three steals. Jill Conrad was the second Wolf in double-digits in the contest, tallying 10 points off four field goals and a pair of free throws.

Anika Fredrick and Bethany Crosswait followed up with eight and six points respectively. Jill Conrad, Miranda Ristau, Paige Waytashek and Bethany Crosswait all nabbed five rebounds for the Wolves, while freshman Sara Tvedt led the pack with seven boards. Ristau ended the game with two blocks and two steals.

Northern State will advance to the second round of the NSIC Tournament to face Minnesota Crookston at 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 25^th from the Sanford Pentagon.