Box Score

Box Score

Upper Iowa's men's basketball team kicked off their 2011-12 campaign tonight in Des Moines, Iowa.  The Peacocks lined up against the Division I Bulldogs of Drake University in the Knapp Center.  Drake used tough defense and hot shooting to claim an 83-58 win on opening night.

The Peacocks hung with the Bulldogs through the first thirteen minutes of the game leading 18-17, but the home team used a 18-4 run over the four and a half minutes to race out to a 13-point lead.  Four UIU turnovers helped to fuel the run.  Drake headed to the locker room with a 39-28 lead as Jake Hughes hit a pair of free throws to close the half.

In the second half, Drake opened with a 15-4 run to extend their lead to 22 points just six minutes into the half.  Upper Iowa rallied with an 11-2 run of their own to close the gap to 56-43 with under ten minutes to play.  The Bulldogs didn't let the Peacocks get any closer though as they pushed their lead back out and cruised to an 83-58 win after outscoring UIU by 12 points over the final 9 minutes.

Drake shot 51.8% from the floor and added five three-pointers, while Upper Iowa only hit 31.8% of their attempts from the field and four trifectas.  The Peacocks took advantage of their time at the charity stripe converting 26 of their 38 attempts.

Tucker Wentzien led the Peacocks with 14 points and 6 rebounds.  Brad Arnold was perfect from the floor (3-3) adding four free throws for 11 points off the bench, while Hughes was the third Peacock in double figures with 10 points, which all came at the free throw line.  Mark Lafrenz led the team in rebounding with 7 and added 8 points. 

Drake got double-figure scoring from five players.  Aaron Hawley led the way with 23 points, while Jordan Clarke grabbed a game-high 8 rebounds.

Upper Iowa will return to the court next Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18-19, in Winona, Minnesota.  The Peacocks will face Minot State and Simpson at Winona State University.  Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. both days.