FAYETTE, Iowa – The Concordia Golden Bears women's basketball team (17-9, 13-7 NSIC) dropped their second straight game falling to Upper Iowa (4-20, 4-16 NSIC) by a score of 51-43 on Saturday evening.

Both teams struggled mightily shooting from the floor as CSP finished 30.6% (19-62) from the field. Concordia attempted 33 3-pointers while only making five (15.2%) and did not attempt a single free-throw the entire game.

Upper Iowa finished 32.1% (17-53) shooting from the field, 6-21 (28.6%) from distance, and went 11-13 (84.6%) from the free throw which ended up to be the difference in the game.

Concordia did hold a 28-22 points in the paint advantage and an 8-2 fast break points advantage. UIU produced 10 bench points compared to only two bench points by CSP.

Mishayla Jones led all scorers with a game high 22 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Anna Schmitt added 11 points and seven rebounds. Caitlyn Russell and Hanna Vidlund were the only other two Golden Bears to find scoring column as they finished with eight and two points, respectively.

The Peacocks were led by Carly Pagel with a team-high 15 points and eight rebounds. Blair Klostermann finished with 14 points, and Sam Ofstad pitched in with eight points and team-high three assists.

CSP got off to an early 9-4 lead just four minutes into the game, but UIU responded by outscoring the Golden Bears 15-6 in the final six minutes to take a 19-15 lead after one quarter of play. Russell and Schmitt would combine to score 13 of the team's 15 first quarter points. Concordia went 1-9 (11.1%) from beyond the arc in the quarter.

In the second quarter, the Peacocks would get their lead up to six with the first basket of the quarter but then CSP responded with a pair of baskets of their own to cut the UIU lead to one.

From there, there would be three lead changes and neither team would lead by more than three points the remainder of the half and Concordia would take a 29-26 lead into the locker room. Mishayla Jones would tally eight points in the quarter for the Golden Bears after going scoreless in the first quarter.

Anna Schmitt led CSP with 11 first half points and Blair Klostermann led Upper Iowa with 11 first half points.

Coming out of the locker room the shooting struggles continued for Concordia as they finished 2-12 (16.7%) from the field, 1-7 (14.3%) from distance and only scored five points all of which were scored in the first two minutes of the quarter by Jones.

UIU tallied 12 points in the period and forced seven CSP turnovers which allowed them to take a 38-34 heading into the final quarter of play.

In the final quarter of play the Golden Bears pulled within two on multiple occasions but could not get over the hump to tie the game or take the lead. After a jumper by Jones following the media timeout, Concordia would go scoreless over the three minutes and 15 seconds of the quarter. UIU would go 6-7 from the free-throw line in the final 42 seconds of the game to seal the 51-43 win.

Jones would end up scoring all 14 of the Golden Bear's second half points.

Concordia is now 21-4 all-time against Upper Iowa.

CSP wraps up their regular season schedule at home next weekend as they host Sioux Falls on Friday, Feb. 17 and Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday, Feb. 18. Games start at 6 pm and 4 pm, respectively.