Box Score FAYETTE, Iowa – Jalen Jaspers scored a career-high 31 points for the University of Mary but the Marauders were unable to hold off hard-charging Upper Iowa University in the final minutes of a 79-71 road loss to the Peacocks. The topsy-turvy game featured seven lead changes and five ties in the second half.
 
Ahead by as many as 10 points early in the second half, the Marauders (2-13 overall / 0-10 Northern Sun) led 68-63 with 3:08 remaining in the game following two Devan Douglas free throws. Two turnovers, a pair of missed free throws and a missed jumper by the Marauders opened the door for the Peacocks (7-9 / 5-5) to gain the lead on a 7-0 run, the last five points scored by Joey Woods.
 
Jaspers tied the game on a jumper in the lane with 70 seconds left. After a three-point play by Woods, Jaspers hit 1-of-2 free throws to pull U-Mary within 73-71 and 42 second remaining.
 
Woods put the game out of the Marauders reach by hitting a jumper at 0:22 and two free throws following a U-Mary turnover at 0:13. Looking to cut the Peacocks lead in half, Chris Mason missed a three point shot. Chris Lang hauled down the rebound for UIU, was fouled and made two free throws with one second left to push the final score to 79-71.
 
The Marauders had no response for Woods in the final minutes. The senior guard scored 12 straight points for the Peacocks in the last 1:42 of the game, making all four field goal attempts and all four free throw opportunities. For the game he finished with 26 points, making 8-of-9 field goals and 10-of-12 free throws. He also distributed six assists.
 
The 31-point outburst by Jaspers was the most points in a game for a Marauders player since All-American Anthony Moody posted 31 against Minnesota State on Jan. 15, 2011. The U-Mary senior made 12-of-14 field goal attempts. His single game shooting percentage of .857 is fourth best by a Marauders player during U-Mary's NCAA era, beginning with the 2006-07 season. The previous scoring high for the senior guard from Minneapolis, Minn., was 23 points against Northern State on Feb. 23, 2013.
 
Germain Decoste was the only other U-Mary player to reach double figures, scoring 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. He also made both free throws and led the squad with seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Douglas and Musungayi both had eight points and Damonta Henry chipped in seven points after making two of U-Mary's three treys in the game.
 
Lang finished with 17 points and seven rebounds for Upper Iowa. He was 5-of-8 on three-point attempts.
 
U-Mary shot 48.2 per cent from the field but was just 3-of-8 on trey attempts. Upper Iowa connected on 46.4 per cent of its shots, making 7-of-21 behind the arc. The Peacocks held an advantage at the line, making 20-of-28 free throw attempts to the 14-of-23 effort by the Marauders. U-Mary had a 37-29 rebounding edge but committed more turnovers, 18-13.
 
The Marauders begin a four game home stand against St. Cloud State University on Friday, January 17.
 
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